Dentures

More Than 10% of Americans Are Missing All of Their Teeth

You're Not Alone, We Can Help!

Natural-Looking Dentures by Friendly Dentistry in Greensboro, NC

If you are missing most or all of your teeth, restorative dentistry and dentures can help. When looking for a dental professional for dentures, you probably have some common concerns:

  • What types of dentures are there?
  • How will replacement teeth look and feel?
  • Will they be painful to your jaw?
  • Will you ever adjust to wearing them?

Friendly Dentistry of Greensboro will provide you with removable partial dentures or a full set of dentures that look natural, no discomfort, and improve your quality of life. Contact our dentist office in Greensboro for a consultation or schedule an appointment below now!

Complete Dentures vs. Partial Dentures

Do you need dentures to replace your real teeth? Removable complete dentures are used when all of your teeth are missing. They can be used to replace upper (called upper denture) or lower teeth (known as lower denture)—or both. The oral appliance is made of dental acrylic, and at times, metal framework is used in the base. Tooth loss can be intimidating, but with proper oral hygiene and a set of new teeth, Friendly Dentistry can help restore your smile!

If you’re looking for more affordable denture care, consider partial dentures. A partial denture is used to replace one or more missing teeth with a base that is gum-colored and may include a metal frame for extra support. Acrylic teeth that match the color of natural, healthy teeth are embedded in the base. It is kept in place with clasps that are secured onto your natural, adjacent teeth. Both partial and complete dentures should be removed and cleaned daily with a denture cleanser.

How Do Dentures Work? The Process for Getting Dentures Is Easier Than You Think:

Each case varies, but here are the 7 basic steps to give you an idea of the process:

  1. Your natural teeth and your gums will be examined. Your gums need to be healthy first. Any issues with periodontal disease will be addressed before you receive your oral appliance.
  2. We’ll listen closely to your preferences to help you make decisions about the look of your new smile. When carefully chosen, the shape, size, and color of the denture teeth and gums can complement your skin tone and facial features and produce natural-looking results.
  3. Impressions of your upper jaw and lower jaw will be taken to ensure the dentures will fit properly. The impressions will be sent to a dental laboratory to make your oral appliance.
  4. Any remaining teeth you have will be removed for full dentures. Time is allowed for your gums and jawbone to heal and for soreness to subside. Meanwhile, you will wear a temporary denture. After the healing period, additional impressions of your mouth may be taken to ensure the best fit for your new dentures.
  5. A wax model of your dentures will be made to ensure the teeth and gums look exactly as you want. If you have any reservations about the wax model, let us know. Adjustments to your dentures will be made until you have the smile you want.
  6. When your permanent dentures are ready, you’ll be able to try them on and wear them until your next dental visit. This gives you time to see how your dentures look and feel.
  7. When you return to our office, we will check your dentures for look and function. If there is anything about them that concerns you, let us know. It takes several weeks to get used to wearing them, but we’ll address your concerns and make adjustments as needed.

Adjusting and Caring for Your Dentures

It will take a few weeks for you to get used to speaking and eating with dentures. As you adjust, your dentist may recommend using adhesive to improve stability against your palate. Chewing gum may stick to the appliance, so it may be best to avoid it.

It’s important to take good care of your dentures to maintain your oral health. The American College of Prosthodontists recommends daily cleaning for dentures. Use a soft-bristle toothbrush and non-abrasive paste to clean them. Look for denture cleaner and denture adhesive products with the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance. Products with the ADA Seal have been evaluated for safety and effectiveness. Keep your natural gum tissue clean, too.

As a denture wearer, be certain to brush thoroughly, but not aggressively, to remove plaque, tartar, and bacteria-causing debris, which promotes gum disease and can cause denture stomatitis along the gum line as well as gingivitis. Proper oral care is important, and effervescent cleansing tablets made specifically for dentures will help keep the prosthesis clean. Remove them at night while you sleep and soak them in clean water.

If you take good care of your dentures and keep your regularly scheduled appointments for examinations and checkups, they can last five to eight years.

Smiling Couple Biking

Stabilizing Your Dentures

and Denture Repairs

Over time, the fit of your denture will loosen. The base will need to be adjusted, or relined, but don’t attempt to do it yourself. You may damage the appliance in the process and make it uncomfortable to wear. If there are any problems or adjustments that need to be made, schedule a denture repair appointment with our office near High-Point, and Winston Salem. As your Greensboro dentist repairs the denture, he or she will ensure the adjustments won’t irritate your gums or make them sore.Tooth roots stimulate the jawbone and keep it intact. Without teeth to stimulate the jaw, your jaw bone begins to shrink. Over time, bone loss makes it more difficult to keep a denture in place. Some patients choose to stabilize their dentures with a dental implant. As few as two implants can be used, but the more implants you have, the more stability will improve. Dental implants improve chewing efficiency and limit jawbone shrinkage. Contact our dental office in the Triad of NC today or schedule your dentures consultation online now to get your beautiful smile back today!

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