Good morning. I'm Dr. Farren Billue at Smiles of West Point with the Smile Group. Today, we're going to talk about dentures and why they would be something great for a patient and on their treatment plan.
What are dentures?
Dentures are also called plates. We often have to use a denture for a patient if the teeth they still have remaining in their mouth are no longer usable. They might have large cavities or be suffering from severe gum disease. Our only option left would be to remove all of the patient's remaining teeth.
What are the benefits of dentures?
Dentures are great in the aspect that they can give you a nice, beautiful, consistent smile, but there are also some downsides. Most complaints we get from patients are about movement or having to have the entire roof of their mouth covered.
Are there different types of dentures?
There are some different types of dentures that we can offer to try to get around those complaints. That would include doing a denture with implants. A lot of times, we call that a snap-on denture. That just means we add about 2 to 4 implants in the mouth, and that helps secure the denture, especially the lower denture, which is the hardest to wear.
Some other options include what we call a hybrid denture. That’s when we have a minimum of 4 to 5 implants on either the top or the bottom. And that’s a denture that stays in place.
Sometimes a patient is able to keep some of their teeth, and that's what we call a partial denture, meaning that we replace the missing teeth, and the denture is secured by adding hooks or clasps so that you don’t have a ton of movement with that partial. That gives you an option to have some natural teeth, but also the support you need.
So there are a few options. If you are looking at losing all of your teeth. It’s definitely a process, but we will definitely get you to your beautiful smile at the end.
For patients who have lost one or more teeth, we have denture options available to restore the function and aesthetic of your smile.
Dentures are available for most patients who have lost one or more teeth. This option helps to restore the function and look of your smile.
Many patients may experience tooth loss due to accidents, decay, or any other reason. For these patients, dentures are the first treatment option that often come to mind. However, there are several treatment options available to help patients gain back the confidence they had with their natural teeth!
Denture Stabilization
Dr. Billue's advanced training and years of experience help her to make and fit dentures to your exact specifications. However, we do recommend using dental implants to stabilize your dentures to give them a natural look and feel.
Implant-supported dentures are much more secure than removable dentures. They give the patient the ability to eat just about anything! The more implants the better, as each one creates more stability and gives an overall more stable appearance.
For those who elect to move forward with removable dentures, Dr. Billue does have the ability to make adjustments to ensure maximum comfort and proper fit. If you feel that your dentures are not fitting properly or causing any issues, we are more than happy to help.
At our office, we can provide you with various denture options depending on your needs.
- Partial dentures: Traditional partials are held in place by metal clasps that go around existing teeth to secure them in place.
- Flex no-metal partials: With flexible, no-metal partials (some with a cosmetic clasp), no one will notice you’re wearing a partial denture.
- Immediate Dentures: These temporary dentures are placed immediately after any teeth are extracted so you can leave Smiles of West Point with an aesthetically pleasing and more functional smile. This appliance will assist in healing your gums as you wait for your permanent denture to be made.
- Implant-Supported Dentures: These dentures can be removed by your dentist for maintenance and cleaning. They are securely attached to mini-implants to provide the patient more stability and comfort.
- Relines and repairs: Our skilled and experienced team can perform denture relines and repairs in many cases, whether we created the denture or not. There are cases where a new appliance may be necessary.
Explore the Benefits of Dentures
Dentures are a great way to replace missing teeth while restoring functionality and health to your mouth. Learn more about the benefits of dentures by giving us a call today at (804) 494-4382!