Dentures – Rome, GA

Effects of Missing Teeth

People can lose teeth in a wide variety of ways. Some of the most common reasons involve gum disease, tooth decay, and accidental physical trauma. Certain bodily conditions, such as an inherited disorder, can also lead to tooth loss.

Regardless of the cause, you’ll want to replace your missing pearly whites as soon as possible. Many complications can come from losing teeth, including difficulty chewing, trouble speaking, facial sagging, and reduced self-confidence. More importantly, any remaining natural teeth can begin to move out of place to fill the gaps and your jawbone can begin to shrink—both of which can lead to further tooth loss.

What Qualifies You for Dentures?

Nearly any person who’s missing some or all of their teeth may be a good candidate for dentures. These prosthetics are durable and incredibly versatile, so you can expect yours to fit exactly to match your natural smile. This treatment is also ideal for those struggling with tooth sensitivity and significant decay.

Although dentures are completely personalized for each patient, you’ll need to have good oral health for them to work. That’s why our team will verify if you have sufficient bone density before going forward with your treatment. Additionally, the number of teeth that you’re missing as well as their location can influence which kind of denture you’ll get. Based on your situation, we’ll recommend getting one of the following: partial dentures, full dentures, or implant dentures.

Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options

If you aren’t a good candidate for dentures, you won’t have to worry much about replacing your missing teeth. We would be happy to help you explore your alternative tooth-replacement solutions, such as:

• Dental bridges – If you have one or more consecutively missing teeth, then a dental bridge might be right for you. This restoration requires preparing your adjacent teeth to make room for the crowns, which involves shaving down a small amount of your enamel. You can be sure to enjoy your new smile for 10+ years with proper care.
• Dental implants – Instead of your artificial teeth resting on your gums or being anchored to natural teeth, you can have the restoration directly connected to your jawbone via a metal post. These serve as your new permanent tooth roots, providing superior stability. With minimal dental care, you expect your results to last several decades to a lifetime!

Learn More About Dental Bridges

Learn More About Dental Implants

What Are Dentures Made Of?

First things first, you should know which parts make up dentures. Here’s what each component is comprised of:

• Denture Base – The base of dentures is commonly made of acrylic resin, which is a lightweight and biocompatible material that forms the foundation for the artificial teeth.
• Artificial Teeth – These are usually made of either acrylic or porcelain, with porcelain offering a more natural appearance and enhanced durability. Porcelain is the most popular option because not only is it durable, but it looks and feels just like natural teeth.

The Denture Creation Process

Fabricating custom dentures is a multi-step process tailored to each patient's unique mouth. Dr. Weldon begins by taking impressions of the upper and lower gums using a special paste, creating an accurate plaster model of your mouth's size and shape. This model serves as a reference for crafting the dentures to ensure a perfect fit for your smile.

The plaster model is then sent to a dental laboratory where skilled technicians proceed to create a wax replica of your gumline. Artificial teeth are carefully placed in position using wax and an articulator device ensures proper alignment. Minor adjustments are made by the technician to fine-tune the fit.

The wax dentures are returned to the dental office for a fitting. If the appearance is satisfactory, they are sent back to the lab for the final stages. The technician boils the dentures in a flask, adding plaster to maintain their shape. The flask is immersed in hot water, melting away the wax. Acrylic is then injected into the flask through holes made in the teeth, replacing the wax.

The plaster is removed with great care from the denture using specialized tools, and an ultrasonic bath is employed to eliminate any residual plaster. Any excess acrylic is meticulously trimmed, and the restoration is polished to achieve a flawless finish.

Once the dentures are ready, you’ll return to the dental office for a fitting. Adjustments are made as necessary to ensure optimal functionality and comfort, ensuring a smooth and successful outcome!

Adjusting to Your New Dentures

Initially, you may experience mild discomfort when you receive your new dentures. Luckily, this sensation is only temporary! Over time, your mouth will gradually adapt to the presence of dentures, and they will start to feel remarkably natural, much like your own teeth. Throughout the adjustment phase, you should consume softer foods and practice facial muscle exercises. Should any discomfort persist beyond this period, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Psychological Benefits

If you’re struggling with tooth loss, you likely understand the psychological impact that comes with missing some or all of your pearly whites. In many cases, you may feel self-conscious about your smile and can end up hiding your mouth during social interactions. To rid yourself of these worries, you can completely restore your grin with dentures. They can help improve the function of your bite as well as reduce any anxieties about your speech, chewing, appearance, and more!

Clearer Enunciation

Having some or all of your teeth missing can make it challenging to pronounce certain sounds and words. This is because we typically require properly placing our tongue and lips against our teeth to enunciate effectively. Therefore, if you have gaps in your smile and want to avoid difficulties in your speech, you’ll want to renew your grin with a reliable tooth replacement like dentures to enjoy comfortably conversing with others.

Improves Nutrition

Without the majority of your teeth, you may find it challenging to properly chew your meals, especially those with tougher textures. Not being able to do this efficiently can lead to problems like indigestion and malnutrition. To expand your dietary choices, you can replace your missing pearly whites with dentures. You’ll be able to chew tougher foods, including fruits, veggies, and lean meats, which can help promote better oral and overall health in the long run.

Preserves Oral Health

Did you know that any remaining natural teeth can begin to shift out of place to fill in gaps in your smile? This is because your jawbone will start to deteriorate from a lack of stimulation from tooth roots. If left unchecked, this can lead to further tooth loss and changes in your facial structure. With dentures, you can avoid these complications, as your prosthetics will help support your existing teeth and share the pressures of excessive chewing, reducing wear and tear on your natural teeth.

Expands Opportunities

Giving off a good impression is highly important, especially when it comes to initial greetings during job interviews or even first dates. Since your smile is one of the main things people will notice about you, you should replace any missing ones. By getting dentures, you’ll be free to show off a healthy and beautiful smile whenever meeting new people, boosting your confidence and expanding your social and professional opportunities!

Factors that Affect the Cost of Dentures

Many factors influence the total cost of dentures in Rome, including:

• Preliminary dental work, like tooth extractions and gum disease therapy
• Number of missing teeth
• Type of acrylic used for the base (the part that’s dyed to match the color of the gum tissue)
• Materials your replacement teeth are made of (usually porcelain or acrylic)

Patients on a budget may be tempted to choose a cheaper denture. However, just because it’s more affordable doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worth having. In many cases, it’ll break easily and need replacement much sooner than anticipated. Because of that, it’s always best to opt for the higher-quality solution since they’re often considered a worthwhile investment.

Are Implant Dentures More Expensive?

Since implant dentures require oral surgery and the placement of multiple dental implants, they’re typically more expensive than traditional dentures. Of course, many patients find it to be worth every penny. Implant dentures are far more reliable for day-to-day use because they stay firmly in place. You don’t have to worry about them moving while you eat, speak, or smile! Plus, they help stimulate the jawbone, providing you with unmatched biting strength and longevity.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dentures?

Most dental insurance plans cover around 50% of the cost associated with dentures because they’re considered a major procedure. However, this may vary from plan to plan. You should confirm the details of your coverage with an insurance provider before committing to anything. If needed, our team is more than happy to help with that step. We can review your policy and help you maximize your benefits to drastically reduce your out-of-pocket expenses.

Other Options for Making Dentures Affordable

Don’t have dental insurance? No problem! We offer third-party financing through CareCredit to help make your treatment more affordable. It allows you to split up the total cost of your care into flexible monthly payment plans that have little-to-no interest attached. With this option, you can make even the most expensive dental service fit your budget!

Are you ready to say goodbye to the gaps in your smile? Contact our office and schedule a consultation today. We’ll help you enjoy a complete, fully functioning set of teeth once again while keeping your total expenses as low as possible!

Removable Dentures

If you have traditional dentures or implant dentures that can easily be taken out, you need to do the following to keep your replacement teeth in the best condition possible.

Remove After Eating

Even dentures with the snuggest fit can get bits of food underneath them as you chew, which is why you should take your dentures out after eating. Otherwise, your mouth will become uncomfortable or painful and your soft tissues potentially damaged.

Clean Your Restoration

Once out of your mouth, your dentures should be brushed, flossed, and cleared of plaque and food debris. You may use traditional toothbrushes and floss to clean these false teeth.

Keep Your Dentures Safe

Whether in your mouth or not, you must be cautious with your dentures. Although these prosthetics are made of durable materials, biting excessively hard foods like ice or chewing on pens can damage not only your restoration but also your soft tissues underneath.

In addition, when handling and cleaning your dentures, try to have a towel underneath to catch them if they accidentally get dropped. Having a soft towel to land on will help you avoid unnecessary damage. If you are playing rough with children or pets, be extra careful to protect your mouth.

Remove Dentures When You Sleep

At night, you should take out your dentures because your mouth produces much less saliva while you sleep. As a result, bacterial growth increases significantly during this time. During the night, put your dentures in a glass of water or denture cleanser beside your bed or in your bathroom so that your dental prosthetics can stay hydrated and protected from bacteria.

Notice Changes

Over time, your dentures may start to fit differently. In fact, the changes may be so slight that it’s difficult to realize they’re happening. Try to pay attention to how your denture fits, keep track of new developments, and let Dr. Weldon know. He can adjust your dentures so they keep fitting precisely as they should.

All-on-4 Dentures

With All-on-4 dentures, the process of cleaning and caring for your replacement teeth is slightly different. Fortunately, it’s the same as caring for natural teeth! At least twice per day, you must brush your false teeth to prevent plaque buildup and infection, and you need to floss at least once every day. To keep the space between your dentures and your gums clean, you will use a special toothbrush called a sulcus brush, which is much smaller than normal ones. To further prevent tartar, you’ll also be asked to rinse your mouth with a special mouthwash every day.

Should I Have All My Teeth Pulled to Get Dentures?

Repairing a damaged tooth whenever possible is always preferable to replacing it. Tooth extractions of any kind will only ever be recommended if deemed absolutely necessary, like when a tooth is too damaged to save thanks to extensive decay, severe infection, or trauma that’s broken off most of the enamel. If all of the teeth in an arch are decayed or infected with gum disease, replacing them with dentures may be a viable option, but your dentist will always explore all of your options before recommending extractions for dentures.

Can I Sleep with My Dentures?

Dentists generally recommend that you take your dentures out at night when you go to bed. When you first get your dentures, you’ll typically be told to keep them in your mouth for 24 hours, including when you sleep. After this, you should be taking them out every evening. This is because wearing dentures restricts the circulation to the gums, leading to soft-tissue irritation and potentially speeding up ridge resorption. Taking dentures out gives the gums a chance to recover and get the nutrients they need during the night. Ultimately, it’s best to remove your dentures while you catch some Zs.

Will It Hurt to Get Dentures?

If you have to get teeth extracted before getting dentures, you are likely to experience some discomfort after oral surgery. By taking your prescribed medication as directed, the discomfort should improve in a few days. When you first get dentures, you may experience minor irritation as your mouth adjusts to the new appliance. The amount of time that the discomfort lasts will vary from person to person. If pain persists, give us a call so we can help.

Will Dentures Change the Shape of My Face?

When you lose your teeth, your facial muscles will begin to sag, and that can give your face a sunken appearance. Getting dentures means providing support to the facial muscles that have collapsed, therefore improving your appearance. Ill-fitting dentures may not give your facial muscles the proper support, so it’s important to design each one so that it fits perfectly in your mouth. You should also have a denture refitted or replaced as soon as you realized it doesn’t fit properly.