Dr. Steve Horne began his career at Brigham Young University obtaining his BA in English. He earned his doctorate of dental surgery in 2007 from the University of Southern California where his pursuit for academic excellence landed him on the dean's list. He was recognized for his superior clinical skills and invited to help teach other dental students in courses on restorative dentistry, prosthodontics, and tooth anatomy. During dental school, he provided dental care for underserved populations of Los Angeles and Orange County, Mexico, and Costa Rica with the international volunteer organization AYUDA. After graduation from USC, Dr. Horne entered active duty with the U.S. Army and practiced dentistry at Fort Knox, Kentucky, for four years. During this time, in 2010, he was deployed as part of a medical unit to Baghdad, Iraq, to provide dental and triage support to military and civilian workers who were involved in the effort there. During his military service, he received multiple Army Achievement Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, and served as company commander. After leaving the Army in 2011, Dr. Horne joined a private practice in La Jolla, Calif., and became credentialed with Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla as a dental consultant. Health and education are of paramount importance to Dr. Horne, and since 2012, he has been writing dental articles for MedicineNet and WebMD to provide accurate information about oral health to the public. He is a member of the American Dental Association (ADA), Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), California Dental Association (CDA), and the San Diego County Dental Society and American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). He is a preferred provider with Invisalign and spends countless hours each year pursuing continuing education in order to maintain a standard of excellence in dentistry. Dr. Horne has been married for 15 years to his wife, Christy. They have 3-year-old twins, Camille and Trent, and very recently welcomed their third child, Colette Elise, on July 6! The heart and soul of the family is Roscoe, their chocolate Labrador.
Premium dentures can cost $2,000-$4,000 per plate, or $4,000-$8,000 or more for a set. Dentures in this price range are a personalized fit, use high-end materials to simulate the look of gums and teeth as closely as possible, last a long time and are warranted against chipping and cracking for 5-10 years or longer. Often the price includes several follow-up visits to fine-tune the fit.
Getting dentures can be an intimidating process. The American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) answers the most popular questions regarding denture costs. Read more about denture adhesives here.How much do dentures cost?Answer: That is a really good question that has a range of answers. The cost of dentures is dependent upon the conditions within your mouth, the types of materials being used, the techniques used by the dentist or prosthodontist, as well as the location and general operating costs of the dental office. Denture care is an ongoing service to maintain a healthy mouth. What many patients don't realize is that there is a service aspect connected to complete denture care, which includes modification of dentures over time to eliminate "sore spots" or to improve how the teeth fit for chewing, and correcting the look of or adjusting the dentures to make them more comfortable and stable. The conditions of your mouth make your treatment easier or harder and therefore may result in different costs. If cost is your primary concern, you might want to locate a dental school in your community for treatment. Keep in mind, low-cost treatment is of limited value if you have to have the treatment done over again in a short time. To locate a prosthodontist near you,visit www.gotoapro.org. Read more about denture adhesive creams here. Response provided by the American College of Prosthodontists. Back to top
Affordable Partial Dentures in Houston, TX
I will ask to see the dentist when I return and tell him that if the permanent denture is not going to be formed with any more care than this, I want the remainder of my money back and I will go elsewhere. Even for an "affordable denture" the quality of this temporary is not worth the mouth pain and I will never be able to wear it for 6mo to 1yr while I wait for the permanent one. If you can afford better, then please do, as you will not be happy with the poor quality results.
Affordable Dentures and Implants can be an ideal place to work; however, each office is owned by a different dentist. This may determine if you advance within the company, your pay raise, and overall office environment. The office environment I am a part of is poorly managed with a high turnover rate. Advancing within the company is not an option. The doctor does not monitor staff activities through out the day nor patient flow. Bonuses can be achieved if meeting and morning huddles were implemented. She does not encourage office cohesiveness or educating staff. Her leadership skills are poor and needs improving. Her drive is office chaos. This office needs leadership replacement to succeed.
Most new denture issues are caused by gums adjusting to extractions and the placing of artificial teeth. These are not problems particular to me. My gums were ready for permanent partials, yet Affordable Dentures refused to provide them. At one point, Dr. **, in an effort to deflect responsibility for her inferior work, pointed to my natural tooth #22, and said, "It's this one that's causing all the trouble. This tooth gave us FITS!" Tooth #22 had nothing to do with the creation or placement of her shoddy partials. My #22 is perfectly normal and was not in the way of anything. Dr.** simply had to divert attention from her fraud by projecting away from herself.
Dental bridges, sometimes called fixed partial dentures, act as a restorative bridge across a gap made by missing teeth. They are made to be permanent by cementing or bonding an artificial tooth (called a pontic) to natural teeth, teeth prepared with crowns, or implants next to the space. The teeth prepared on either side will act as supports for the false teeth between them. Depending on what your dentist suggests, the artificial teeth can be created using gold, alloys, or porcelain.
The process of getting dentures requires several appointments, usually over a period of several weeks. Highly accurate impressions (molds) and measurements are taken and used to create your custom denture. Several “try-in” appointments may be necessary to ensure proper shape, color, and fit. At the final appointment, your dentist will precisely adjust and place the completed denture, ensuring a natural and comfortable fit.
The initial appointment started with a consultation. I didn't actually have anything done that day. The dentist and an assistant came in and gave me the costs as well as explained the process. They were fairly thorough and had no problems answering my questions. At this point I figured that I had maybe dodged a bullet. I was very hopeful that I was going to be one of the lucky ones.
If you still aren’t sure whether or not dentures are right for you or if you have other questions or concerns, talk to your dentist at your next regular dental checkup to discuss the right path for you. If you are looking for a dental professional who specializes in dentures and can best address your specific needs, check out 123 Dentist and find a dentist in your area who’s a perfect fit for you.
Denture adhesives, also called denture adherents, are creams, powders, wafers or strips that are used to hold dentures firmly in place. The adhesive also helps form a seal that keeps food particles from sticking between the dentures and gums. Adhesive is applied to clean dentures, which are then positioned in the mouth and held in place for a few seconds, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
I had dentures for 16 yrs but had recently lost a lot of weight. Since I receive SSI, I can't afford a lot. Went to Affordable Dentures in Cartersville GA. Staff was very nice. Got my dentures and was told that I would need adhesive for the bottom plate. Okay understood. Plate didn't even come close to fitting my gums. Went back and they filed them down. Still didn't fit. Went back again. Filed down again. Still didn't fit. Went back a 3rd time and was told that there was nothing else they could do.
Work was done to make the partials smaller, but still do not fit my mouth and are completely unusable. Sores and lesions continue to form on my gums due to the defective workmanship of this garbage for a product. Parts of the upper partial have chipped off during normal wear, leaving a gap between the teeth. I called again ("You can come back anytime!") in early August for repair. The nasty ** told me I could only come on a Tuesday between 1 and 2 o'clock.
Full or partial dentures consist of a gum-colored base made of plastic resin, which fits over the remaining alveolar (bone) ridge that formerly held the teeth. The prosthetic teeth projecting from the base are designed to look and function just like your natural teeth. Dentures are held in place primarily by the suctioning effect of their close fit against the alveolar ridges — that's why it's so important that they are fitted properly. The upper denture also gets extra support from the large surface area of the roof of the mouth (palate), which generally makes it extremely stable.
He was very good and I did not once feel the needle. Then he extracted the 7 teeth is less than 5 minutes! I was amazed at the skill he used. I had some really bad ones, that a regular dentist would not have touched, but this guy was the best... Once the teeth were out, he put in the temporary denture and had to make a couple small adjustments, because it was too tight. He used a "liquid bandage" substance over the wounds and put the denture in...
Although traditional dentures will provide more biting force than a mouthful of missing teeth, it is still far less than can be achieved with real teeth - or implant-supported dentures. Dentures that are anchored by dental implants will triple the patient's biting force, when compared to traditional dentures, making it easier to eat crunchy, tough, and chewy foods. In addition, implant-supported dentures will not move out of place, even when pressure is applied to the prosthetic when eating.
The care I received at this dentist office was outstanding! Everyone in the office was very friendly and professional, and explained everything to me including what I would have to pay after insurance, they left no question unanswered. The dentist that performed the procedure did so with speed and care, I was in an out and recovered quickly with little pain. I even recommend this office to a coworker that is looking for a dentist. My visit was so pleasant I look forward to coming back. Thank you for your excellent service!
When are Dentures Necessary?What are Temporary Partial Dentures?If you’ve had teeth removed due to decay or gum disease and will be receiving permanent dentures, your dentist may suggest temporary or “immediate” dentures. These are dentures you can wear for the first two to three months immediately after tooth removal. They can be especially helpful for someone with a history of sensitive teeth and gums, since the patient does not have to be without teeth while the area heals, and any remaining sensitive teeth are subject to less pressure from chewing food.The creation of temporary dentures may require four to five dental visits prior to tooth extraction. Temporary dentures are made using basically the same technique as a permanent denture, but because they are made in advance of any surgery, you can’t tell exactly how your mouth will look after teeth are removed. By contrast, the molds for conventional dentures are made once the gum tissues have healed following any tooth extractions, which takes about six to eight weeks. During this time, the gum tissues will shrink and so the fit of temporary dentures will change.Temporary Dentures CostThere is an added cost associated with immediate dentures, but when you’re trying to determine what dentures cost and how to pay for them, remember that you have several options.Most dentists take major credit cards and some offer financing plans that let patients pay for major procedures, such as tooth removal and dentures, over time with low monthly payments. Ask your dentist about financing. Also, if you know in advance that you want to get dentures, you may be able to set aside money in a flexible spending account or health care savings account to help cover the cost of dentures.Immediate dentures cost more than conventional dentures because more time goes into preparing them. There are several advantages that may make them worth the cost. The main advantage of immediate dentures is that you don’t have to go out in public without teeth following tooth removal. An immediate denture is placed at the same visit as your tooth removal, so they serve as a bandage to control bleeding and protect gum tissue. Also, if you have immediate dentures you can start adjusting your speech to wearing the denture immediately.Not everyone is a good candidate for immediate dentures. Cost can be a prohibiting factor, or your dentist may advise against immediate dentures depending on your general health and oral health.What are Permanent Dentures?Dentists will work with you to preserve your natural teeth if at all possible, rather than extract them, but sometimes permanent dentures are the only way to provide the appearance of teeth and facilitate eating and speaking.Permanent Dentures ProcedureGetting permanent, full dentures takes about three to six weeks. The denture-making process involves several dental appointments and follows these steps:Impressions: Your dentist takes several impressions of your jaw and measures the space in your mouth.Models: Your dentist makes a mold of wax or plastic in the exact shape of the denture so you can try it and make any adjustments to the color, shape, and fit before the permanent dentures are made.Cast: The final dentures are cast, and then adjusted as necessary.When you first receive your permanent dentures, your dentist may recommend that you wear them 24 hours a day, even while sleeping, because this is the easiest and quickest way to determine whether there are any spots that need adjustment. It’s important to ensure a good fit right away, because poorly fitting dentures can be irritating to the gums.Once you have adjusted to the dentures, you can remove them at night to allow normal stimulation of the gum tissues by the tongue and saliva, which helps keep your gum tissue healthy.Temporary Dentures vs. Permanent Dentures Pros and ConsOne main disadvantage of temporary dentures is that, because they’re made in advance and placed as soon as the damaged or decayed teeth are removed, the fit will not be exact. So they may require more frequent adjustments to get a good fit. Consequently, they should only be considered a temporary solution until the permanent dentures are ready.You may find that both temporary and permanent dentures take some getting used to. Don’t worry if the dentures feel loose at first—your cheek and tongue muscles will need to adjust to them. And don’t worry if you notice more saliva in your mouth than usual, or if you notice minor soreness or irritation. These problems usually resolve on their own. But if you experience major discomfort that doesn’t seem to improve, see your dentist to have the dentures adjusted.You may also opt to have your temporary dentures realigned for a better fit so you can use them as permanent dentures. Or, you can keep them as a spare set so you won’t find yourself without teeth if your permanent dentures should get lost or become damaged. If your dentures need repair or realignment, they will have to be sent to a laboratory and probably kept overnight.When are Dentures Necessary?Not everyone needs a full set of permanent dentures. A dental bridge fills a gap created by one or more missing teeth. Removable partial dentures are another option for replacing missing teeth. There are several reasons to consider removable partial dentures. Not only can partial dentures improve your appearance, they can improve your oral health by keeping your remaining teeth in place. If you opt for a dental bridge, your dentist will fit customized crowns to the teeth on either side of the gap to be bridged. A false tooth (or teeth) called a pontic is attached to the crowns and replaces your missing tooth (or teeth).Depending on your oral health care needs, you can choose partial dentures that are removable, but bridges are permanently cemented into place. There are three main types of bridges to suit a variety of dental restoration situations:Traditional: This style involves placing crowns on the teeth that border the missing teeth.Cantilever: This style is used if you only have teeth on one side of the missing tooth or teeth.Maryland bonded: This type of bridge consists of a porcelain tooth (or teeth) in a metal framework, with wings to attach it to existing teeth.Keeping the surrounding, supporting teeth healthy is essential to get the maximum benefit from a dental bridge, so be sure to follow a regular oral care routine of twice-daily tooth brushing and daily flossing. If you practice good oral hygiene and see a dentist regularly, partial dentures can last from 5 to 15 years.
Dr. Okunuga’s dental center has an on-site dental lab that fabricates new dentures and provides repairs and relines, often with same-day service. Being able to provide dentures in a day is a significant advantage, especially for patients who have traveled far distances. The on-site lab also eliminates the need to use outside commercial labs, which helps keep our fees low.
There are three main ways to replace missing teeth. The first is with a removable false tooth (or teeth) - called a partial denture. The second is with a fixed bridge. A bridge is usually used when there are fewer teeth to replace, or when the missing teeth are only on one side of the mouth. The third way is by the use of dental ‘implants'. This is where an artificial root is placed into the bone of the jaw and a crown or bridge placed on top of this. See our leaflet ‘Tell me about: dental implants'.
