Dentures – Spring Hill, TN
Replace Missing Teeth with New Ones
Depending on the situation, you may be missing a few pearly whites. There’s no shame if you are — tooth loss can happen to anyone! Still, lacking teeth can make things like eating and speaking a challenge. Fortunately, though, you can always try dentures in Spring Hill! Those offered by Family Dental Associates of Spring Hill are great at restoring even the most broken smiles. To learn more about them, just keep reading or book a visit to our office.
Who’s a Good Candidate for Dentures?
Beyond tooth loss, it doesn’t take much to be a good dentures candidate. Most patients can get treatment regardless of how many teeth they’ve lost. That said, you should still attend an in-person consultation at our office. Drs. Allen and Jewell can settle for sure whether dentures suit you. As for how they’d do so, the vetting process is pretty straightforward. Just keep reading to learn more about it, or call us for the details.
Effects of Missing Teeth
As a precaution, the consultation starts by reviewing tooth loss’s causes and effects. This step helps you grasp how treatment could benefit your oral health.
Ultimately, people can lose teeth for a wide range of reasons. A patient’s tooth could, for instance, decay so much that it falls out or needs extraction. Another person may suffer gum disease, which wears down the bone and tissue holding teeth in place. Yet others could have their teeth knocked out from physical force, likely due to a sports injury or accident.
Despite the variety of causes, tooth loss’s effects are consistently harsh. Losing teeth almost always makes everyday tasks – eating, speaking, smiling, etc. – harder. Worse yet, the gaps caused by missing teeth erode your jaw. (This erosion then triggers facial collapse if left alone.) Those same spaces can subsequently cause even more tooth loss.
What Qualifies You for Dentures?
As said earlier, most patients can qualify for dentures if they lack teeth. There are, however, other qualifying factors to consider.
Your general oral health is one such consideration. For example, dentures only work if a patient’s gum and jaw tissues are healthy enough. A good treatment candidate is thus strongly committed to dental care. Furthermore, tooth loss isn’t the only condition dentures can treat. These restorations can also replace sensitive or decaying teeth.
The number of missing teeth is also a relevant fact. Depending on how many are gone, you’ll need one of two possible denture types. One might be the partial denture, which only replaces a few teeth. In contrast, you may need a full one if all (or most) of your pearly whites along an arch are missing.
Money is also a vital issue to assess in denture treatment. New teeth, after all, don’t come free; they have an attached expense. Luckily, it so happens that dentures are cheaper than
Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options
In the event you’re not a good dentures candidate, don’t worry. We at Family Dental Associates of Spring Hill have other tooth replacement options. In fact, there are two such procedures you could try. These are:
- Dental Bridges – Fixed restorations, dental bridges are made of two (or more) crowns fused to a pontic. They only replace one or a few teeth, so they rely on natural pearly whites to support themselves.
- Dental Implants – Dental implants are prosthetic teeth placed in the jawbone. As such, they gradually fuse with the jaw over time. However, this fusion requires healthy bone tissue and can make implant treatment expensive.
Types of Dentures
Before getting dentures, you must first talk with Dr. Allen or Dr. Jewell at a consultation. Doing so gives her a chance to learn your smile goals, medical history, and more. From there, she can determine the type of denture that works best for you.
Partial Dentures
Per their name, partial dentures only replace a few pearly whites in your mouth. They’re normally removable and rely on natural, adjacent teeth for support.
In general, partial dentures’ bases are made of plastic (resin), cast metal, or porcelain. Regardless, though, these materials are usually color-matched to your gums.
Full Dentures
Unlike a partial one, a full denture restores an entire arch of teeth. That being the case, it doesn’t rely on natural teeth to remain secure. Rather, it uses natural suction to stay in your mouth over time.
Full dentures have the same materials for their bases as other kinds. Still, an added perk is that they’re custom-made to fit comfortably over your gums.
Implant Dentures
As you might expect, implant dentures are connected to dental implants. The latter are restorations that fuse with your jaw.
Thanks to their implants, implant dentures are more permanent than other options. For that reason, they don’t slip or fall when you eat or speak. Better yet, their stability lets them restore more of your bite force. Given such traits, these dentures are a great alternative for patients who aren’t happy with traditional models.
The Benefits of Dentures
With dentures from Spring Hill, you can expect to receive various perks. These include:
- A Natural-Looking Smile: Dentists customize each denture for their patients, meaning the prosthetics always look lifelike and beautiful.
- A Fuller Face: Implant dentures help preserve your jawbone’s density. As such, they prevent facial collapse and keep your face youthful.
- Easier Eating: By filling out your smile and restoring your bite, implant dentures let you eat your favorite foods.
Dentures FAQs
Is It Hard to Talk with Dentures?
When first receiving your brand-new dentures, you might expect it to take some time to get accustomed to speaking with them. The good news is that your prosthetics can begin to feel much more natural the more you practice with them. In many cases, patients may develop a mild lisp or other speech impediment, but it should be short-lived and will go away after you have learned how to handle your dentures. Make sure to take time reading aloud to yourself, conversing regularly with people you trust, and repeating more difficult sounds and words every day. You might also ask our team about denture adhesive if you require extra stability to help with this adjustment process.
Can I Sleep with My Dentures?
For the first 24 hours of getting your new dentures, you’ll be required to wear them all day, even during bedtime. Afterward, however, our team will highly recommend that you take them out before going to bed moving forward. Wearing your dentures for too long can end up restricting blood circulation to your gums, which can lead to soft tissue irritation and an increased chance of ridge resorption. Removing them before sleeping will allow your gums to get the nutrients they need to remain strong and healthy. Additionally, having your dentures in for extended periods can increase the risk of poor oral hygiene and developing pneumonia.
Will It Hurt to Get Dentures?
The main reason you might expect some discomfort related to dentures is if you require oral surgery beforehand. Fortunately, even if you go through an extensive procedure to prepare your mouth for your custom prosthetics, any pain should be manageable with over-the-counter or prescribed pain medications. After receiving your new dentures, it’s normal to experience some mild soreness as your mouth becomes accustomed to your new pearly whites. If you notice any pain or aching being persistent or getting worse over time, notify our team so that we can determine if you need your dentures refitted or replaced altogether. You might even have a developing oral health issue that needs treatment.
How Long Will You Have to Wait to Get Dentures After Your Teeth Are Pulled?
In many cases, patients will be asked to wait around six to eight weeks after getting tooth extractions to undergo the denture process. Two months of recovery will allow the gums to heal properly, and you’ll need to practice great oral hygiene to avoid developing any complications like periodontal disease, decay, or infection. The amount of time you need to wait will also depend on the kind of prosthetic you require, such as partials, full, and implant-retained ones. While regular dentures can be received after you’ve recovered completely, implant dentures will need four to six months for the metal posts to integrate with your jawbone.
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