Dentures in Pepper Pike, OH
Eat and Smile with Confidence Again
If there’s a noticeable gap in your grin due to missing teeth, you don’t need us to mention the laundry list of inconveniences that creates. You’re already aware of the difficulties in speaking, eating, and smiling. Fortunately, at Dental & Cosmetic Solutions, we offer an easy way to replace your lost teeth with full or partial dentures. Keep reading below to learn more about dentures in Pepper Pike and how they can allow you to eat and smile with confidence again.
Who’s a Good Candidate for Dentures?
Are you missing one tooth? Several? Or an entire arch? Regardless of your situation, you may be eligible for dentures in Pepper Pike. These prosthetic teeth are incredibly versatile and designed to restore your unique smile. If you’d like to find out whether or not you’re a good candidate for dentures, you should set up a consultation with our team at Dental & Cosmetic Solutions. Don’t worry – even if you’re not a viable candidate, you can possibly become one with our help!
Effects of Missing Teeth
It’s important to recognize the most common causes of missing teeth. According to the American College of Prosthodontists, these reasons include gum disease, tooth decay, and physical injury. Failing to address these issues while they’re still treatable can lead to tooth loss.
When you have gaps in your smile, your jawbone may begin to shrink due to a lack of stimulation of blood flow. This may eventually cause the bone tissue to weaken, increasing the risk of further tooth loss. If you don’t have a root to promote a strong jawbone, you may begin to experience complications like facial sagging, difficulty eating, trouble speaking, and lower self-confidence.
What Qualifies You for Dentures?
Dentures are a great option for patients with extensive tooth loss. For decades, this solution has helped people eat, speak, and smile with greater confidence. The materials and techniques may have changed over time, but the prosthetics are still able to provide a complete smile once again.
Keep in mind that the number of teeth you’re missing will ultimately determine which type of denture is best for you. Based on your situation, we may recommend full, partial, or implant dentures. One significant advantage of dentures is that they’re more affordable than other solutions, making them a great choice for those on a budget.
Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options
Not a good candidate for dentures? Don’t worry – you can explore other options! At Dental & Cosmetic Solutions, we offer alternative solutions like:
- Dental Bridges – If you’re missing one or several teeth in a row, dental bridges are a great option to consider! You simply need to have nearby healthy teeth on either side of the gap to support the restoration.
- Dental Implants – Thanks to their unique placement, implants provide unmatched stability and durability. Good candidates require a strong facial structure and sufficient bone density. Although it’s a bit more costly than other methods of tooth replacement, you can enjoy your results for a lifetime.
Types of Dentures
The three main kinds of dentures include:
Full Dentures
A full denture is typically what you think of when someone says the word “dentures.” It consists of an entire row of prosthetic teeth attached to a pink based designed to closely resemble gum tissue. It uses natural suction against the gums to stay in place, with the help of a denture adhesive if need be.
Partial Dentures
For patients who are only missing some teeth, we typically recommend a partial denture. Partials are made of a metal framework onto which as many false teeth as you need are anchored. They use metal clasps to attach themselves to your remaining teeth while looking like a perfectly natural part of your smile.
Implant-Retained Dentures
To prevent the slipping that sometimes comes with dentures, we can secure your prosthetic teeth in place with an average of four dental implants. Because the implants fuse with your jawbone, there’s no need to get them replaced every few years, making them a longer lasting and more cost-effective solution than traditional dentures alone.
How Dentures are Made
Now that you know more about the different types of dentures, it’s natural to feel curious about how they’re made. We believe that understanding the different stages involved in making your restoration can help you appreciate them that much more. Continue reading below to get a behind-the-scenes look into how your fully customized prosthetics are created! If you have additional questions or want to schedule an appointment, contact us, and we’d be happy to assist you.
What are Dentures Made Of
Thanks to ongoing advancements in dental technology and techniques, today's dentures look and feel more lifelike than ever before. They consist of two main components, which are:
- The base. This is the gum-colored foundational structure that holds your restoration in place. It can be made of different materials like nylon, porcelain, composite resin, or metal. However, acrylic is frequently used because it can be customized to match the shade of your gum tissue. If you’re being fitted for partial dentures, your base will probably also contain metal clips.
- The pontics (artificial teeth). These are usually built out of resin or porcelain because both substances can be color-matched to your smile. Porcelain is the tried-and-true method because it’s functional, resilient, and reflects light like enamel for a more natural look and feel.
The Denture Creation Process
It can take several weeks for your dentures to be made because they’re tailored to fit your mouth like a glove. A typical step-by-step breakdown includes:
- Step 1: Csok will take impressions of your upper and lower arches. The traditional method involves biting into a tray filled with a thick paste that hardens in place to create a plaster model of your mouth.
- Step 2: This cast is sent to a special dental laboratory that will create a wax mold of your mouth to begin building your restoration.
- Step 3: Artificial teeth are placed into their appropriate places in the wax model. A technician will carve it into shape so that it looks just like your gums.
- Step 4: The wax version is sent back to Dr. Csok so she can schedule you for a fitting. Our team will note any adjustments that need to be made and then send them back to the lab to be updated. We’ll likely fit you with temporary dentures to wear until your permanent ones arrive.
- Step 5: A technician places your wax dentures into a flask, which is placed in hot water to melt the material away.
- Step 6: Small holes are made in the pontics, and a liquid separator is added to the flask to keep materials from sticking. Then, acrylic is injected into the flask to replace the now-melted wax.
- Step 7: The plaster on your dentures is carefully removed with special tools to reveal your artificial teeth beneath.
- Step 8: Any excess acrylic is trimmed away, and your prosthetics are polished to a shining finish.
- Step 9: The dentures are returned for a final fitting and to ensure everything is working as intended.
Adjusting to Your New Dentures
It’s normal to feel some discomfort in the coming weeks as your mouth adjusts to the constant pressure of supporting your new restoration. Thankfully, this sensation is usually temporary. After about a month, you might find that you’ve become so acclimated that you forget when you’re wearing them. You can enjoy a smoother transition by sticking to soft foods at first, then gradually building up to a more normal diet. If you have pain that persists or worsens, please let us know so we can ensure that your dentures fit properly.
The Benefits of Dentures
If you’re struggling with missing several or all of your teeth in an arch, our team at Dental & Cosmetic Solutions may recommend dentures to help restore your smile. This solution to tooth loss is tried-and-true. In fact, about 41 million Americans reported using dentures, according to the Simmons National Consumer Survey. When you decide to invest in your smile by replacing your missing teeth, you’ll be able to enjoy a wide range of benefits, from eating a more varied diet to improving your speech and more.
Psychological Benefits
Whether one, several, or all of your teeth are missing, tooth loss can have grave impacts on how you think of yourself, especially because it isn’t normalized in our culture. Millions of people every year deal with tooth loss, and despite it being an incredibly common dental concern, most people feel the strong psychological ramifications of this issue.
From hiding your teeth when you laugh to avoiding going out with friends just because you don’t want them to see your incomplete smile, these small but negative effects of tooth loss can grow to have a dire impact on your mental health, including increased risk of depression and sadness. Restoring your smile with a custom denture can provide you with newfound confidence.
Clearer Speech
When you have several gaps in your smile or are missing a row of teeth, it can become incredibly difficult to pronounce certain sounds and words with ease. Every time you talk, your tongue comes into contact with your teeth, the floor of your mouth, and the roof of your mouth to help you effortlessly produce the sound you need. Fortunately, by replacing your missing teeth and filling in the gaps in your smile, you’ll likely notice how much easier it is to speak.
Improved Nutrition
Your teeth and mouth are the first step of digestion, helping break down food to combine with saliva so it can be swallowed, digested, and used by your body for fuel. When teeth are missing, chewing will be much more difficult, causing you to drastically reduce the types of foods you eat. As a result, you may find that your nutritional intake is lacking. With dentures, you can eat a more varied diet, allowing you to consume all of your key food groups.
Preservation of Oral Health
An unfortunate reality of unaddressed tooth loss is that it puts you at a greater risk of losing more teeth in addition to an increased risk of cavities and gum disease. It also leads to jawbone resorption, or the gradual loss of your jawbone’s density. While traditional dentures can’t stop jawbone resorption, they can help improve your oral health. When they’re combined with dental implants, they can also provide necessary jawbone stimulation to keep the bone from eroding over time.
Boosted Self-Confidence
Whether you have an upcoming wedding, important job interview, or you’re going on a blind date and you hope to make a lasting impression, tooth loss can stand in the way of you feeling your most confident. With a complete smile thanks to full or partial dentures in Pepper Pike, you can go into these situations feeling more self-assured and confident, allowing you to get the most out of every moment.
The Process of Getting Dentures
While you may have heard your grandparents complain about their ill-fitting or unnatural-looking dentures, rest assured that modern dental technology has come a long way since then. Today’s dentures are more lifelike than ever before, and they’re designed with your comfort in mind. Our dentist will make sure your new teeth resemble the ones you were born with to a tee by partnering with only the most skilled dental labs.
The whole process begins with a consultation. After we conduct an oral exam and take detailed x-rays to get a full picture of your oral health, we’ll use these data to create an initial mold of your dentures. Over the course of the next few visits to our dental office, you’ll try on different models and we’ll adjust them accordingly until we find the perfect set of teeth for you. Once this process is complete, we’ll send off the mold to our lab to cast your final dentures, and you’ll return in a few weeks to have them fitted.
For implant-retained dentures (also known as All-on-4), we’ll surgically place an average of four implants at strategic locations and angles throughout your jaw. In most cases, we can give you at least a temporary denture on the same day we place your implants so that you won’t have to go another day without teeth!
Living with New Dentures
Whether you receive a full or partial denture, it may take some time for your mouth to adjust to wearing it. To help you get used to chewing, we suggest cutting your food up into bite-sized chunks at first and applying even pressure with both sides of your mouth. Reading out loud will help make speech easier. You can expect to deal with a little soreness in your gums for the first few days, but if the discomfort persists, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
Dentures Frequently Asked Questions
Now you know all about the different types of dentures, their benefits, and the process! However, it’s natural to still have some questions, especially if you’ve never had them before. To help make the research process seamless, we’ve taken the time to answer a few frequently asked questions below. If you’d prefer to speak directly with our dentist in Cleveland about your questions, then don’t hesitate to contact our dental office.
How Do I Care for My Dentures?
Thanks to advancements in dentistry, dentures today can rebuild your smile, restore your bite, and perfect your speech for decades – if they are cared for properly. Fortunately, that task is relatively easy if you simply follow the below best practices:
- Brush them with a soft-bristled toothbrush and denture-friendly cleaner daily
- Keep your remaining natural teeth in pristine condition with a solid oral hygiene routine
- Handle them with care when they are out of your mouth
- Soak them in a denture-friendly solution each night (which will preserve their shape and give your gums a rest)
- Visit your dentist every six months for a professional checkup and cleaning
Can I Eat Normally With Dentures?
Since modern dentures in Cleveland are custom-made from high-quality, extremely durable materials, they come with minimal food restrictions. That being said, it may take some time to adjust to your new set of teeth. Therefore, we always recommend starting with soft foods, like yogurt and soup, and working your way back to your regular diet from there. As you become more proficient, you’ll be able to chew harder or sticky foods. To help, you can use a few pea-sized drops of denture adhesive to stabilize them as you learn to maneuver them with ease.
Will My Partial Dentures Match My Remaining Natural Teeth?
If you aren’t using full dentures to completely rebuild your smile, then you may be wondering if your partials will stick out like a sore thumb. The answer? Absolutely not! Our team at Dental and Cosmetic Solutions are experts in the art of shade matching, which will ensure your prosthetic teeth will blend in seamlessly with your natural ones.
How Much Do Dentures Cost?
Sadly, there is no all-encompassing answer. After all, the number of teeth being replaced, dental insurance, and necessary extractions beforehand are just a few factors that influence the final cost. Fortunately, you can easily find out the exact price of renewing your smile with dentures by scheduling an appointment with our team at Dental and Cosmetic Solutions. After completing a thorough dental exam, discussing your unique dental needs, and finalizing the details of your treatment plan, we will provide you with the price and the financial options available.