Olalekan Okunuga, DDS, FICOI, FAAIP, is a general dentist and the practice owner of this South Hill location. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at University of Pacific in San Francisco and completed his post-graduate residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C. Based on many years of valuable dental experience, Dr. Okunuga and his staff are proud to offer professional, compassionate care to patients that visit this practice.
Once the numbness wore off I could not open my mouth fully for days. It took a full week before I was out of severe pain. It honestly felt like she had broken my jaw. I decided to tough it out as I have a phobia of dentists. Once the severe pain was over my jaw was sore for the next two months. I'm fairly certain that isn't the norm for routine extractions.
I bought a full upper denture and within months, they were way too loose. I was told by my dentist they would need relining after several months. My dentist now wants $475 to reline and fit these very thin dentures, but she never mentioned I would be charged to have these refitted. After paying $2,500 total (and unexpectedly), I was just wondering Is this the norm? Or was I just unlucky?Answer: Whenever teeth are extracted, the jawbone and gums in the areas where the teeth used to be start to shrink. This shrinkage can continue for the rest of your life, and this is part of the reason that most dentures need to be refit periodically. Because the most rapid jaw shrinkage occurs during the first six months after extractions, it would be quite normal for your dentures to be loose after six months and require relining. Because the need for this additional and continual treatment (refitting) can vary greatly from patient to patient and time to time, it is most often considered as a separate part of your treatment plan, and the time necessary to accomplish this service is billed accordingly.Response provided by the American College of Prosthodontists. Back to top
Extractions were the main cost saver ($30 each) but you have to pay for the dentures first ($500). Don't think they would have accepted me if I only wanted extractions. TOOK 5 MONTHS and 6 or 7 visits to get these "immediate" dentures. Look good out of my mouth but when I smile u see all the bottom teeth and hardly any top ones. LOTS of overbite make biting PB&J sandwich impossible.
Always remove your dentures before sleeping to avoid damaging them, dislodging them, and to give your gums some time to relax. Submerge your dentures fully in warm, but not hot, water to keep them from drying out and becoming misshapen. Only use denture soaking solution if your dentures do not have metal components as the solution can tarnish the metal.
I am missing almost all of my upper teeth and am considering full dentures. What are the costs for extraction and for the dentures? Also, what is the timeframe for ordering and wearing the new dentures after extraction?Answer: The fee for removing your remaining teeth varies upon the complexity of the procedure required to remove your teeth as well as your geographic location. Some dental schools, including hospital-based programs, may offer reduced fees if you use a resident (a dentist in training for additional skills) or a dental student to perform the procedure (under the supervision of licensed dentists). The timing of the placement of the dentures can vary widely. Dentures may be made prior to the removal of the remaining teeth and may be inserted the day the teeth are extracted, or the teeth may be removed and healing allowed to take place before the dentures are delivered several weeks or even months later. Most patients want to have dentures sooner rather than later, but dentures placed soon after or immediately after teeth have been extracted may need to be adjusted or replaced after the healing process is finished.Response provided by the American College of Prosthodontists. Back to top
Generally speaking partial dentures tend to be held in place by the presence of the remaining natural teeth and complete dentures tend to rely on muscular co-ordination and limited suction to stay in place. The maxilla very commonly has more favorable denture bearing anatomy as the ridge tends to be well formed and there is a larger area on the palate for suction to retain the denture. Conversely, the mandible tends to make lower dentures much less retentive due to the displacing presence of the tongue and the higher rate of resorption, frequently leading to significantly resorbed lower ridges. Disto-lingual regions tend to offer retention even in highly resorbed mandibles, and extension of the flange into these regions tends to produce a more retentive lower denture. An implant supported lower denture is another option for improving retention.
CONOVER, NORTH CAROLINA -- This place is as crooked as it gets. I went over with the dentist several times the teeth I wanted extracted and he still pulled a perfectly good tooth. The business is so crappy that the owner won't even talk to me or look at the big cavity in the tooth beside the good one he pulled. It had a hole in it about as big around as a cigarette. I was told I would have to pay again to have it removed period. I think it was done just out of greed to make more money. I'll never go there again and I would suggest you don't go either.
I have both upper and lower dentures, but the uppers, which are newer, are very white compared to the bottoms. It will cost me a lot (like $500) to replace them, but I want them to match. Can I whiten my dentures?Answer: It is not possible to whiten dentures like natural teeth because dentures are made of plastic. To minimize staining, properly clean your dentures daily to remove food and plaque bacteria. Brushing with a denture brush or soft toothbrush will prevent dentures from becoming permanently stained and will keep your mouth healthy. Moisten the brush and apply a nonabrasive denture paste (regular toothpaste is too abrasive) or use liquid soap. Brush every surface, inside and out, scrubbing gently. A variety of over-the-counter denture-cleanser products may be safely used (by following the manufacturer’s instructions) to remove some stains. You may also consider soaking your dentures in a cup of water with a teaspoon of household bleach, but be sure to rinse them off well before putting them back in your mouth. When cleaning your dentures, be careful not to drop them as they can break. You should clean your dentures over a sink that is filled with water or has a washcloth in place to prevent the dentures from breaking should you drop them while cleaning. More stubborn stains may require removal by your dentist or prosthodontist, a specialist in denture care and maintenance. To locate a prosthodontist near you, visit www.gotoapro.org. Response provided by the American College of Prosthodontists. Back to top
Implant technology can vastly improve the patient's denture-wearing experience by increasing stability and preventing bone from wearing away. Implants can also aid retention. Instead of merely placing the implants to serve as blocking mechanism against the denture's pushing on the alveolar bone, small retentive appliances can be attached to the implants that can then snap into a modified denture base to allow for tremendously increased retention. Available options include a metal "Hader bar" or precision balls attachments.
Went in and spent all day got a new upper denture and ask if it could be tighter dentist told assistance to let me get back in and get a soft liner on them so this was on sat when I called back on Monday the man that works behind the desk told me they don’t see people around 4 but he said I will ask the dr and call you back tomorrow and let you know, so I called in today on Saturday hoping to catch him in my dentures don’t line up and I cannot chew food with them and they are spots that have rub my gums sore and next week this coming Monday I will call bbb and will put a review on the internet that they will not like for business.
After implant-supported dentures are in place, patients should properly care for their teeth and gums. The dentures, gums, and tongue should be brushed twice a day. Patients should also floss daily to remove debris between the teeth; though false teeth won't become damaged by decay, plaque build-up can still cause gum disease and bad breath. Patients with dentures should also schedule dental visits every six months so their dentists can check the fit of the dentures and look for signs of dental problems.
In 1820, Samuel Stockton, a goldsmith by trade, began manufacturing high-quality porcelain dentures mounted on 18-carat gold plates. Later dentures from the 1850s on were made of Vulcanite, a form of hardened rubber into which porcelain teeth were set. In the 20th century, acrylic resin and other plastics were used.[12] In Britain, sequential Adult Dental Health Surveys revealed that in 1968 79% of those aged 65–74 had no natural teeth; by 1998, this proportion had fallen to 36%.[13]
The UltimateFit Denture is our most innovative denture made with patented high-pressure injection technology. This unique process creates dentures that fit every contour of your mouth and oral topography and are second-to-none. The dentures are also remarkably strong, lightweight, as well as odor and stain resistant. For patients that have worn traditional dentures, a new experience awaits.
Review: My own experience with Todd Young has been that he does care about results and about how his work affects me as a patient. I have some pre-existing medical conditions that made fitting me with dentures very challenging and Todd has shown himself to be a perfectionist in his effort to get my dentures ”just right” and working for me. He and his staff have explained every step of the process and answered any questions I’ve had. In addition, I’ve seen Todd go above and beyond what I had expected, especially in terms of dealing with a difficult surgery I’d undergone at another dental practice — he did his best to correct a situation that he had nothing to do with creating! I wasn’t expecting that kind of support and both my wife and I are very grateful to Todd for his help. And his staff are certainly friendly and courteous. It’s hard for me to believe that the negative reviews posted here aren’t just from someone who has to have some complaint about anything and everything. I can say that in the many visits I’ve made to Todd because of my special fitting needs, I have never heard another customer complain about ANYTHING they experienced with Todd and his staff.
Conventional dentures are installed after the last teeth are removed, to allow for healing (typically six to eight weeks). There are typically separate appointments for impressions and measurements; checking a "try-in" model for fit; inserting and adjusting the final denture; and follow-up appointments to check comfort and function. Immediate (same-day) dentures are made in advance and inserted when the teeth are pulled. The University of Iowa provides an overview of immediate dentures[2] and a California dentist has a immediate denture video[3] .
Hypochlorite cleansers have a disinfectant action and they remove non-viable organisms and other deposits from the surface, but they are not very good at eliminating calculus from the denture surface. Immersing dentures in a hypochlorite solution for more than 6 hours occasionally will eliminate plaque and heavy staining of the denture. Furthermore, as microbial invasion is prevented, the deterioration of the soft lining material does not occur.[32] Although, corrosion of cobalt chromium has occurred when hypochlorite cleansers have been used and they may also result in the fading of the acrylic and silicone lining, but the softness or elastically of the linings are not greatly changed.[35]
Partial dentures are a less-invasive option that also tends to be less expensive than other options for replacing missing teeth. They do require a bit of maintenance but are easy to get used to and, for many patients, do an excellent job of restoring beauty and functionality to that part of their mouth. Daily cleaning of your partial denture is vital but is a simple process that will keep your gums healthy and your partial denture looking great. Also, if future adjustments are needed – such as expanding your partial denture – DDS Dentures + Implant Solutions can take care of your needs quickly and cost-effectively.
I can't began to explain in a few words how wonderful my experience has been; Dr. Dear Searby is truly a God sent dentist for people he is not there just for the money he truly care about the patient. His work is excellent and it didn't take several trips to get what I needed done. This is the first time I have found a dentist that does not try to take advantage of the patient or the patient insurance. Exceptional. The staff here are just as caring and informative this is a great dentist office and I would recommend all people to go here and put some of these money grabbing dentist office out of practice because they don't care about the patient. I have gone to one who claim has all of this fancy technology and the only thing he wanted to do was charged my insurance and for me to take out a loan and the service was horrible I felt like they we're chocking me to death literally. Again I highly recommend Dr. Searby. Thank you
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.
I took my Wife Diane, to Affordable Dentures to have new Dentures Made up! We are Both Disabled, and really need to watch our Income, So we decided to give Affordable a shot since I had gotten my Uppers done there about a year ago, and had no problems what so ever! We picked them up this morning, and she just loves them!! She says they fit great, and they look wonderful!! There Staff, and Dr. Atari are The Best! Their Receptionist, Darb, and Assistant, Allyssia, you just couldn't ask for any Better!! Diane and I just Love them! They are So Courteous, Friendly and Professional I Highly recommend them! 5 Stars all the way across the board Dr. Attari's work? Nothing but Shear Excellence! I Wouldn't Go Anywhere Else! Thank You, Tom and Diane Cianferri
Tooth-supported fixed bridge. The most common alternative to dental implants for a single tooth, fixed bridges involve grinding away – in other words, intentionally damaging – healthy adjacent teeth that are used to attach and support the bridge. The tooth-supported bridge does not stimulate natural bone growth beneath it, so the bone may deteriorate over time. Bridges generally fail after 5-10 years because patient have difficulty flossing them, which makes the root surfaces below and around the bridgework highly susceptible to decay.
For many years, partial dentures have been used to replace groups of teeth or a few teeth scattered across the lower or upper jaw. There are a variety of removable partial dentures available to patients and each one comes with its own set of benefits and disadvantages. All partial dentures attach to remaining teeth and have a gum–colored portion meant to blend into the existing gum, with prosthetic teeth to replace the missing teeth.
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.