Dentures – Baytown, TX

Effects of Missing Teeth

As you consider denture candidacy, you should also review tooth loss’ causes and effects. Doing so will help you see how new teeth could help.

 

Typically, tooth loss occurs for many possible reasons. One such cause is gum disease, which can erode the tissues supporting your teeth. Alternatively, tooth decay can rot teeth such that they fall out or need extraction. Your pearly whites could also get knocked out by an injury or accident.

 

Unlike the causes, tooth loss’ effects are narrow but severe. It makes eating, speaking, and smiling hard by depriving you of teeth. The condition also leads to smile gaps, degrading your jawbone. (This erosion can cause facial collapse if left untreated.) Adding insult to injury, the same spaces could make your remaining teeth tilt and fall out.

 

What Qualifies You for Dentures?

As stated before, most patients can get dentures if they lack teeth. Still, there are other factors worth examining.

 

How many teeth you’ve lost is one such matter. Based on the number, you could get one of two possible dentures. The first is the partial denture, which only replaces a few teeth. On the other hand, the second is the full denture – a type used when all pearly whites on an arch are gone.

 

Your overall oral health is another concern. You see, dentures won’t work well if your mouth is too unhealthy. Gum and jaw tissues must be sturdy to support dentures. If they aren’t, the prosthetics won’t stay in place or act reliably.

 

Lest you forget, your budget is a big factor as well. The truth is that dentures are (usually) the cheapest restorations. As such, they’re the ideal option for patients with limited funds.

 

Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options

To be clear, you still have options if you’re not a good dentures candidate. Our office offers several other restorative treatments. These include:

 

 

 

• Dental Bridges – A dental bridge is a fixed restoration, usually made of crowns fused to a pontic. That being the case, it’s best used to replace one to four teeth. The appliance needs nearby healthy teeth for support and is normally cemented in place.
• Dental Implants – Unlike other tooth replacements, dental implants are set in your jawbone. That means they fuse with your jaw gradually. In doing so, they become secure and permanent parts of your mouth. (Given these features, though, implants can be a tad expensive.)

What are Dentures Made Of?

You will naturally want your prosthesis to look as lifelike as possible. To that end, the teeth of your dentures will likely be made out of porcelain. This material can very closely match the appearance of real tooth enamel, and it’s also notable for its durability.

The base of the dentures can be made from a few different materials. Acrylic is a particularly noteworthy choice thanks to its ability to blend in with your gum tissues. Note that partial dentures can have an acrylic base along with metal clasps that help keep them in place while you’re wearing them.

The Denture Creation Process

So what steps are involved in making dentures? Here’s a brief summary:

• We’ll create a model of your mouth based on impressions of your gums. In some cases, we may also take the time to measure your jaw.
• The model created in the previous step will be sent to a trusted dental laboratory. There, trained experts will make a replica of your gum line out of wax. Artificial teeth will be carefully placed into the wax with the help of an articulator.
• At this point, the lab will send us the wax dentures so that we can confirm that they fit properly in your mouth. If they do, they will be sent back to the lab so that the process can continue. (Note that you will be given temporary dentures to wear while you’re waiting for the final versions.)
• The next step is to melt the wax base away. This is accomplished by putting the dentures in a flask that is subsequently immersed in hot water. Plaster will be used to help the dentures keep their shape even after the wax portions are gone.
• Acrylic is injected into the flask so it can act as a new base. Once that’s done, any remaining plaster will be removed with the aid of an ultrasonic bath.
• Once the completed dentures have been properly trimmed and polished, they will be sent back to our office so that a final fitting can be performed.

Adjusting to Your New Dentures

When you first get your new dentures, your mouth may be a little sore, and you may have some difficulty when it comes to speaking and chewing. Our team will be happy to give you some tips that can make the adjustment process easier; for example, we may suggest only eating soft foods for the time being and performing certain exercises for your facial muscles. Eventually, your mouth should get used to the presence of dentures. Remember that you can always contact us if the discomfort seems to last longer than it should.