When you have multiple missing teeth, your smile can suffer. In social situations, you may hide your teeth when you smile or talk. You may also find it hard to eat the foods you love. At Groesbeck Family Dental, we provide dentures in Groesbeck, TX, to help restore the smile’s function and aesthetics. Dentures are restorative dental treatments that help replace missing teeth with natural-looking replacement teeth.
The Benefits of Dentures
The longer you go without replacing missing teeth, the more oral health issues you can experience. Missing teeth increase the risk of tooth wear, dental decay, facial sagging, and bite misalignment. Dentures restore the health of your smile if you have multiple missing teeth. Restoring full rows or arches of missing teeth with dentures can:
- Improve the aesthetics of your smile
- Prevent shifting teeth
- Help improve the bite
- Prevent further bone loss
If you have an ill-fitting denture, we can recommend dental implants to stabilize your restoration. Implants act as new replacement tooth roots and help support healthy gum and bone tissue. Dental implants also ensure that dentures last longer.
Types of Dentures
Our office provides partial and full dentures. Partial dentures replace multiple missing teeth in different parts of the smile. If all your teeth are missing, you benefit from full dentures. Also known as complete dentures, these restorations replace one or both full arches of missing teeth.
Common types of dentures include:
- Conventional Dentures: After the dentist removes the remaining teeth, they can place a conventional denture. The dentist will allow time for the tissues to heal before they place this full and removable denture.
- Immediate Dentures: Dentists place immediate dentures on the same day they remove the remaining teeth. Your dentist prepares for this treatment by taking impressions and precise measurements of the smile. The benefit of this treatment is that you don’t have to wait for your restoration.
- Overdentures: An overdenture is a removable denture that can cover remaining teeth or use the support of dental implants. The overdenture helps preserve healthy natural bone.
Choosing Dental Implants Over Adhesive
Oftentimes, traditional dentures are removable. Traditional removable dentures lay on the gums and only stay in place with adhesive. However, we can also provide dental implants to ensure denture stability.
Traditional removable dentures do not support the gum tissue and natural jaw bone. After we place dental implants, they fuse to the jawbone beneath the gums. Over a period of three to six months, the implants integrate with the jaw and act as replacement tooth roots. Once the implants are healed, we will place the denture.
When restorations do not support the natural smile, patients can experience problems like facial sagging, bite problems, and slipping dentures. Dental implants solve these problems because they keep teeth secure.
Dentures in Groesbeck, TX
Before denture treatment, we ensure that patients are in good oral health. We will address dental problems like gum disease, tooth decay, and other issues affecting oral health. Sometimes, we may remove the remaining teeth if they are badly decayed or damaged. Then, we will begin treatment.
We will take dental X-rays of the teeth and jaw to determine if you have remaining healthy jaw bone. These X-rays also show the gaps in your smile.
If you receive removable dentures, it will take two or more dental visits to receive your restoration. During the first appointment, we take dental impressions to create your custom dentures. We send these impressions to a dental lab, where technicians create the dentures from porcelain. After several weeks, you will return to our office for a fitting. We will ensure that your dentures look and feel natural.
Dental Implant-Supported Dentures
Implant-secured dentures can last longer than traditional dentures. Traditional dentures last five to seven years. They will require relining, rebasing, or replacement over time. On average, implant dentures can last over fifteen years. The titanium implant posts themselves are permanent and will stay in place.
Dentists use implants for removable snap-on dentures and fixed implant dentures. We recommend fixed implant dentures because they act more like natural teeth. You do not need to remove your dentures for cleaning with these hybrid dentures.
During implant treatment, we place implants in the jawbone and place a healing cap. During a period called osseointegration, the implant posts fuse with the jawbone. After your implants are fully healed, we take dental impressions. A dental lab will create custom dentures from these impressions as with traditional dentures. While it can take longer to complete implant treatment, the results are worth it.
Dentures FAQs
Discover more about dentures with answers to these commonly asked questions:
Can I get implant dentures if I already wear dentures?
Yes! We recommend dental implants if you have removable dentures but want a more secure restoration. Implants are also a great option if you experience oral health problems from an old, poorly fitted denture.
However, we must ensure you are a good candidate for dental implants before treatment. We may recommend gum disease therapy, bone grafting, tooth extractions, or sinus augmentation.
Are dental bridges and partial dentures the same?
No. Dental bridges can only replace one or more consecutive missing teeth. Partial dentures can replace multiple teeth along a tooth arch.
How long does it take to get used to dentures?
After you receive your dentures, it can take about a month to get accustomed to your new restoration. It can take less time to get used to partial dentures than complete dentures. If you receive a removable denture, we recommend beginning with soft foods and cutting foods into more manageable pieces. In addition to biting and chewing, you will get used to speaking with your new dentures.
Restore Missing Teeth with Dentures in Groesbeck, TX
Are your missing teeth leading to more dental health problems? Try dentures. Call Groesbeck Family Dental at (254) 556-3973. You can also schedule a dental consultation with Dr. Todd Collins and Dr. William Jennings online.
If you have any questions about dentures, please get in touch with our office. We will help you find the right type of denture for you.