Dental implant-supported dentures have become the best treatment option for patients who are missing all or most of their teeth. The treatment boasts a high success rate, particularly when the patient makes a commitment to the maintenance of good oral health and a qualified dentist performs treatment. However, complications may occur. Here is an overview of the complications that may affect the implants, abutments, and dentures.
Complete dentures are made when gums are restored to a healthy condition and sufficient time has passed for healing. Complete dentures replace all teeth in the upper or lower jaws of the mouth. Gums will naturally shrink through the healing process of tooth loss, which normally takes from six to 12 months. During this period the immediate dentures may require adjustments to accommodate the changes in the gums and underlying bone structure. This could include soft and hard relining procedures.
In some cases, oral surgery is performed to correct bony ridges that may interfere with the stability of the denture. In other cases, the remaining teeth may need to be extracted before placement. Once your dentist has decided that dentures are right for you, he will make an impression of the gums to identify every ridge and crevice to ensure the best fit possible.
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.
In addition to directing the fabrication of the denture, dentists provide information to patients on the proper care and use of the appliance. Dentures must be cared for properly. For example, placing removable dentures in water or a denture cleanser solution, when they are not being worn, helps the denture retain its shape, remain pliable and keeps it from drying out. Dentures should never be placed in hot water as it could cause them to warp.
I had a really great experience with Affordable Dentures and Implants. My mom has always been afraid of dentists and didn't take care of her teeth. She also had a stroke a few years back which has created a few more barriers to treatment. It's difficult to explain to anyone who doesn't personally know a stroke survivor, but she gets antsy pretty quickly and can be a bit difficult to work with at times. She's also physically handicapped and can't use her left side, plus is having trouble transferring from her wheelchair to other seats, getting into a helpful position, and following directions, so it's a bit of a unique situation. She underwent major oral surgery in this office- multiple extractions and bone augmentation- in order to get dentures. This is something we've seen a couple different dentists for, but she has always refused treatment because she didn't like something about the office or wanted to be put to sleep in a hospital, which was out of our budget. Given her limitations and dental anxiety, I wasn't sure what to expect this time around, but I couldn't have been happier with how this office behaved. The front office has been great in terms of explaining processes, scheduling, and billing. I've also had to coordinate paratransit to get my mom to the office, and they've worked with me on times to make sure everything lines up right. Something you can probably only appreciate if you've been in a similar situation. They've also worked with us on fixing issues and missed appointments due to unforeseeable circumstances. Not only did they not scold us for missing an appointment, but they worked with me to resolve the problem that caused it- my mom's assisted living facility biffed it and didn't give her pain medicine after her surgery. :/ But, like I said, this office came through and helped- always making her care the top priority. As far as back office goes, Carlos the assistant has the patience of a saint. Seriously. We had to do a full series of x-rays because my mom couldn't stand up for the pano. My mom had trouble holding still and repeatedly failed to follow instructions. Carlos never stopped smiling and encouraging her. He had a lot of positive energy and kept joking with her throughout, which I know went a long way to making her feel good about the office. He did the same during the other visits, but the x-rays I'm sure were the biggest challenge. Jennifer assisted with the surgery. She was incredibly kind, gentle, and thoughtful. She was always doing what she could to keep my mom comfortable and looking out for her. She even went and grabbed my mom a pillow to make sure she was comfortable. Dr. Athari has an amazing sense of calm about him. He walked us through everything and talked to us throughout the procedure. My mom needed frequent breaks during the surgery and he always gave her the time she needed to regroup. He was very gentle and mindful with her throughout the procedure, and I'm certain that's what got my mom through it without issue. I cannot stress how difficult this process could have been considering the amount of care needed and the limitations of the patient. However, these folks rolled with everything we threw at them and never missed a beat. Always helpful, knowledgeable, kind, and gentle. If I had to find one negative about the office, it would be the wait times. On our first visit, one woman in the waiting room said she'd been waiting 30+ minutes. It took a day to get a call back to schedule. We waited a little while in the office too. However, when you consider that they're working with people like the person I brought in, and that it's totally impossible to predict the needs and behaviors of some of the patients who go in there, it's totally understandable. I have no doubt they took a little longer because they were treating someone else exactly as they treated us- with patience and understanding. That's worth waiting for. So, if you do go, be prepared for some short delays, but also know why those delays happen. Overall, they work like a well-oiled machine. We got to meet the whole team, including their on-site lab techs. Every single person met us with a smile and kind words. I cannot thank Dr. Athari enough for creating an environment like this. Before I close, I'd like to add a word on fees as well. I almost hesitate to call this an affordable dental office, simply because they obviously put care first. All dental offices should do what this office does and provide options, but few do. It's that commitment to patient care and letting you choose what's right for you that makes them more affordable, versus the offices that cut corners to save you a buck. That's a major difference worth noting. They also have an on-site lab, which saves costs as well. Anyway, again, sending a huge thank-you to Dr. Athari and his staff. You guys are beyond awesome.
While dentures boast a long history of successful use, modern technology offers better options to enhance the way they fit and the way you look. In many cases, dentures can be secured more firmly to your jaw with the use of dental implants, placed in the jaw and connected under the base of the denture. This connection can be designed to create permanent fixation of the denture or to allow for its removal at times. In addition to having greater retention and a more natural look, implant-supported dentures tend to last longer. Dr. Yonan, Scott,Bushnell, Fairbanks & Quigley can discuss these options and help you understand the ways they can improve your experience with dentures.
Denture cleanser tablets are dropped into warm water to create an effervescent solution. Dentures are removed from the mouth and placed in the solution. Soaking dentures in the cleaning solution helps kill germs that can cause odor. The amount of time dentures should be soaked—from a few minutes to overnight—depends on the manufacturer’s instructions.
Later that afternoon I came back to have 16 teeth extracted. I got to the office and waited about 30 minutes before I was seen. I got to the back and began injections. After this I went to a full blown panic attack and came close to passing out. The one positive is the dentist who was working on me took it in stride. I wasn't treated disrespectfully and after about 30 minutes the panic subsided and she was able to finish my injections and begin pulling teeth.
