Dentures

Dentures & Partials

Instead of dental implant surgery, many of our patients choose dentures to replace missing teeth. We offer both partial and full dentures, depending on the needs of the patient, and custom-crafts each set around the unique needs and goals of the patient. Our dentures are made of the highest-quality materials available, so that you will be able to eat, speak, and smile with confidence.

Dental Health and Dentures

A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissues. Two types of dentures are available - complete and partial dentures. Complete dentures are used when all the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain.

Complete Dentures

Complete dentures can be either "Traditional" or "Immediate."

Immediate Dentures are fabricated in advance and placed the same day the remaining teeth are taken out. Because there will be shrinkage of the bone and gums from healing the denture soon becomes unstable. At six weeks post operatively Dr. Deem brings the patient in for “Tissue Conditioning,” which is the placement of a temporary lining material to compensate for this shrinkage and provide stability while you heal.  This can be done sooner if needed.  Each case is unique.   Sometimes Tissue Conditioning may be done 2 times.  Six months after the final extractions are done the immediate denture is relined with permanent acrylic to make it fit exactly how you healed.  This must be done for the dentures to remain as stable as possible and be functional.

Traditional Dentures are fabricated for placement in the mouth about 8 to 12 weeks after the teeth have been removed or to replace an existing pair of worn out dentures..  How fast you can make the dentures are dependent on how many teeth were removed, their condition and how infected they may have been. Each case is unique.

All Dentures should be relined every 2-3 years.  There is a symbiotic relationship between the teeth and the bone.  When the teeth are present the bone stays whole and when the teeth are gone the bone tends to shrink the rest of your life.  A poor fitting denture can cause erosion of bone at an advanced pace. Just because you think you can eat with the dentures stuck in with adhesive does not mean they fit correctly.  You should see Dr. Deem periodically for an evaluation to determine whether your dentures are fitting correctly and for an oral cancer screening.  Just because the teeth are gone does not mean there cannot be health related problems in the mouth.  It is very common for cancer to metastasize to the soft tissues of the mouth.  Only your dental professional can evaluate your oral health.

When the dentures are 5-7 years old you should see Dr. Deem and be evaluated for a new set.  When the teeth are worn flat you no longer can chew food properly.  Often time the jaws are over closed because of this erosion of the denture teeth.  This can lead to chronic tired sore muscles in the jaws and TMJ problems.  You may think you are chewing your food well but in reality if it is not chewed up in a proper manner, it cannot be digested correctly and the nutrition cannot be extracted by your body.  This has nothing to do with your weight, and has everything to do with proper nutrition.

Everyone seems to have someone they know, a relative or friend that has dentures and never had any problems with them.  They also seem to know someone who takes their dentures out to eat or just keeps them, especially the lower one, in their pocket because it is uncomfortable or not functional.  Please understand that no 2 dentures cases are the same.  What works for them may not work for you.  Upper and lower dentures are completely different problems.  With the upper denture you have the roof of the mouth to help provide suction to keep it in.  The lower denture just sits on a ridge with little or no suction.  The lower anterior ridge is the most problematic as it tends to flatten out providing little, or more often, no support or retention for the denture.  How good any denture stays in and is functional is related to many things.  The quality of your saliva and bone are critical to fabricating comfortable functioning dentures.  Even then you may have to go through some adjustments after delivery to “fine tune” the fit of the dentures.  The quality of the fit and construction of the dentures is also critical to comfort and function.  We only use the best quality materials and go through a series of “try in and record gathering” appointments to fabricate the dentures as accurately as possible.  You can get cheaper dentures at other places, and generally, you get what you pay for.

Partial Dentures

A removable partial denture usually consists of replacement teeth attached to a pink or gum-colored plastic base, that is strengthened  by metal framework that holds the denture in place in the mouth. There are metal clasps that are part of the framework that  hold on to the remaining (abutment) teeth. Partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain in the upper or lower jaw. Not only does a partial denture fill in the spaces created by missing teeth, it prevents other teeth from changing position. A precision partial denture is removable and has internal attachments rather than clasps that attach or snap to the adjacent crowns. This is a more natural-looking appliance that shows no metal in your smile and put less stress on the abutment teeth that metal clasping..

Are There Alternatives to Dentures?

Yes, dental implants can be used to support permanently cemented bridges, eliminating the need for a denture. The cost is usually greater, but the implants and bridges more closely resemble the feel of real teeth. Dental implants are becoming the alternative to dentures but not everyone is a candidate for implants. Consult our office for advice.