Dentures: Your Affordable Treatment Option

Dentures: Your Affordable Treatment Option

If you’re missing some or all of your teeth and are feeling overwhelmed by the cost of replacement or the complexity of surgical options, dentures may be the perfect fit for you.

Dentures are removable appliances that can replace missing teeth and help restore your smile. If you’ve lost some or all of your natural teeth, whether from gum disease, tooth decay or injury, replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your health. That’s because dentures make it easier to eat and speak better than you could without teeth—things that people often take for granted.

Even though we have other tooth replacement options available, such as bridges or even implants, dentures can still be a better option in some cases. These include patients that are not a good candidate for surgery or are afraid of surgery, patients who cannot afford a fixed prostheses, patients whose bone structure is not strong enough to support an implant, and patients whose remaining teeth are not strong enough for a fixed bridge.

When you lose all of your teeth, facial muscles can sag, making you look older. Dentures can help fill out the appearance of your face and profile. They can be made to closely resemble your natural teeth so that your appearance does not change much. Dentures may even improve the look of your smile.

There are several different types of dentures. Partial dentures replace only some missing teeth, and complete dentures replace all teeth. Dentures can be conventional, meaning it is made after the teeth are lost, or as an immediate denture, where the teeth are extracted the same day the denture is given to the patient. There is also many different types of materials to choose from, some of which are able to avoid metal hooks altogether!

New dentures may feel awkward for a few weeks until you become accustomed to them. The dentures may feel loose while the muscles of your cheek and tongue learn to keep them in place. It is not unusual to experience minor irritation or soreness. You may find that saliva flow temporarily increases. As your mouth becomes accustomed to the dentures, these problems should go away. Follow-up appointments with the dentist are generally needed after a denture is inserted so the fit can be checked and adjusted. If any problem persists, particularly irritation or soreness, be sure to consult your dentist.

If you have been thinking about replacing your missing teeth, but didn’t want to go through the expense or experience of a fixed replacement, look no further than Tarpon River dental. Give the office a call and Dr. Petruk will be more than happy to go over all your removable options in detail!