Immediate Dentures: Immediate dentures, as the name implies, are placed as soon as the natural teeth are removed. With immediate dentures, the patient need not face the world without teeth, can eat normally much sooner than with conventional dentures, and does not have the speech problems associated with the normal denture process. However, since healing of the gums and jaw will change the fit of immediate dentures, the patient will typically need a new set in about six months.
A common situation is that insurance benefits include payment for half of the cost of a partial payment after the policy’s deductible is paid (if it has one). The best way to find out what your insurance will cover is to contact your insurance provider directly. Most discount dental plans give huge discounts for partial dentures, so it’s worth taking a closer look.
The general rule is: brush, soak and brush again. Always clean your denture over a bowl of water or a folded towel in case you drop it. Brush your denture before soaking them, to help remove any bits of food. Using an effervescent (fizzy) denture cleaner will help remove stubborn stains and leave your denture feeling fresher - always follow the manufacturer's instructions. Then brush the denture again, as you would your own teeth, being careful not to scrub too hard as this may cause grooves in the surface.
If cared for properly, dentures should last a minimum of 5 years. Over time, the bone shrinks and causes the denture to become loose. The rate that this happens varies with each individual, but can be controlled by visiting a dentist regularly to ensure that the denture is fitting properly. An ill-fitting denture causes the bone to shrink more rapidly. To prolong the life of a denture, a dentist will often use a denture liner to refit the internal surface of the denture to the oral tissues.
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.
Removable partial dentures. Although these don't require grinding down adjacent teeth, they are not nearly as stable or comfortable as dental implants and can affect speech and eating. This type of restoration is less expensive but doesn’t look as natural or function as well as an implant-supported crowns. The bone underneath a removable partial denture may deteriorate over time, changing the appearance of your smile and face.
A denturist or prosthodontist should be able to fit you with comfortable and affordable dentures to match your needs and budget. Prosthodontists receive three to four years of additional training after dental school, and specialize in cosmetic restoration and teeth replacement. Denturists, meanwhile, can take impressions of oral tissue, construct prosthetics and deliver them to patients.
Premium heat cured dentures can cost $2,000-$4,000 per denture, or $4,000-$8,000 or more for a set. Dentures in this price range are usually completely customized and personalized, use high-end materials to simulate the lifelike 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.
Patients can become entirely edentulous (without teeth) for many reasons, the most prevalent being removal due to dental disease typically relating to oral flora control, i.e., periodontal disease and tooth decay. Other reasons include pregnancy, tooth developmental defects caused by severe malnutrition, genetic defects such as dentinogenesis imperfecta, trauma, or drug use.
Stability is the principle that describes how well the denture base is prevented from moving in a horizontal plane, and thus sliding from side to side or front to back. The more the denture base (pink material) is in smooth and continuous contact with the edentulous ridge (the hill upon which the teeth used to reside, but now only residual alveolar bone with overlying mucosa), the better the stability. Of course, the higher and broader the ridge, the better the stability will be, but this is usually a result of patient anatomy, barring surgical intervention (bone grafts, etc.).
Processing a denture is usually performed using a lost-wax technique whereby the form of the final denture, including the acrylic denture teeth, is invested in stone. This investment is then heated, and when it melts the wax is removed through a spruing channel. The remaining cavity is then either filled by forced injection or pouring in the uncured denture acrylic, which is either a heat cured or cold-cured type. During the processing period, heat cured acrylics—also called permanent denture acrylics—go through a process called polymerization, causing the acrylic materials to bond very tightly and taking several hours to complete. After a curing period, the stone investment is removed, the acrylic is polished, and the denture is complete. The end result is a denture that looks much more natural, is much stronger and more durable than a cold cured temporary denture, resists stains and odors, and will last for many years.
Jump up ^ Maeda, Y; Kenny, F; Coulter, W; Loughrey, A; Nagano, Y; Goldsmith, C; Millar, B; Dooley, J; James, S; Lowery, C; Rooney, P; Matsuda, M; Moore, J (2007). "Bactericidal activity of denture-cleaning formulations against planktonic healthcare-associated and community-associated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus". American Journal of Infection Control. 35 (9): 619–22. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2007.01.003. PMID 17980242.
Teeth can fall out for a number of reasons, ranging from genetics to drug abuse. Most commonly, teeth are removed or fall out on their own due to severe tooth decay. Neglect to upkeep oral hygiene or not seeking proper treatment for damaged teeth, can lead to the onset of decay which in turn leads to loss of teeth. Visiting you dentist in 6 month intervals is a good preventive measure to spot any early signs of decay.
