Dentures & Partials – Kaufman, TX

Who is a Good Candidate for Dentures?

The best candidates for dentures suffer from tooth loss and its effects. More specifically, they struggle to eat, speak and smile due to lacking teeth in their mouths. Such challenges are harsh, as they hurt not only your body but also your confidence.

All that being said, there are some exceptions and restrictions. Patients with some teeth along an arch could benefit from other options — perhaps a dental bridge or implants. Furthermore, dentures require healthy gums to work well. Otherwise, the prosthetics won’t have the needed support to keep in place.

Types of Dentures

Before you can actually get your dentures, you’ll need to consult our dentists. In doing so, you’ll have a chance to explain your smile goals, medical history, and more. Plus, this talk will let us confirm the type of dentures that are best for you. Based on what we learn, we’ll recommend one of the following options:

Partial Dentures

Partial dentures “partially” restore your smile since they only replace a few teeth. In most cases, they consist of replacements attached to a pink or gum-colored acrylic base.

To stay secure, a partial denture will connect to your surrounding teeth. This connection can be made with a metal framework and clasps, though other connectors are also possible.

Full Dentures

Per their name, full dentures fully replace an entire arch of teeth. As with partials, though, they often rely on a base made of acrylic resin.

Complete dentures don’t use clasps or frameworks to remain in place. Instead, they rely on natural suction to create a vacuum between themselves and your gums. The result is that these dentures can fit snugly over the latter tissues.

Implant Dentures

Implant dentures connect to dental implants — restorations that fuse with your jawbone. For that reason, they’re more stable than other kinds.

Given their reliance on implants, these dentures can’t be removed as other kinds can. Instead, the best way to clean these prosthetics is to brush them.

The Benefits of Dentures

With dentures from Texas Dentistry in Kaufman, you’ll experience many benefits. The most common of these are:

• A Natural-Looking Smile –Since dentures are customized to meet each patient’s unique needs, they always look natural and lifelike.
• Healthier Eating – With more teeth in your mouth, you’ll have an easier time eating different kinds of food. You’ll thus have access to a more varied and healthy diet!
• Greater Confidence – By filling the gaps in your mouth, dentures will help you feel less self-conscious about your looks.
• Cost-Effectiveness – A denture can last anywhere from 5 to 7 years if given proper care. As such, you can count on this treatment to be a good dental investment.

How Are Dentures Made?

Dentures are typically made from acrylic. There are two main ways of making them. A conventional denture is inserted once all teeth have been extracted, and the gums have had time to fully heal. Alternatively, an immediate denture may be made and inserted immediately after the teeth have been extracted, and the gums are left to heal underneath the denture. Upper dentures have a piece of acrylic, usually flesh colored, which is attached to the roof of the mouth. Lower dentures, on the other hand, are horseshoe-shaped, so that your tongue is still able to move freely. The replacement teeth themselves are usually made from plastic, porcelain, or a combination of the two. Dentures may be created to fit over endodontically treated teeth, or alternatively fitted to dental implants to keep them fitted securely.

Maintaining Your Dentures

Dentures will eventually wear out and need to be replaced or realigned to maintain normal jaw alignment. This alignment will shift over time as the bone and gum ridges recede due to tooth extraction. It is important that you still make regular appointments with your dentist, so they can check your mouth for any signs of disease or a change in jaw alignment.