Dentures – Wakefield, MA

Effects of Missing Teeth

According to the American College of Prosthodontists, tooth loss can be attributed to various factors, including tooth decay, gum disease, and dental injuries. Should you experience any of these issues, you need to address them right away. Otherwise, the consequences of not replacing missing teeth extend beyond oral health.

Facial sagging, speech difficulties, challenges with eating, and decreased self-esteem are just a few consequences that can arise from missing teeth. By getting dentures, you can minimize the risk of these complications and improve both oral function and confidence.

What Qualifies You for Dentures?

Dentures are an excellent solution for individuals who have experienced significant tooth loss, suffer from tooth sensitivity, or have extensive tooth decay. To be a suitable candidate for dentures, you must have sufficient healthy gum tissue and jawbone. You also need to commit to maintaining proper dental hygiene and caring for both the dentures and your overall health. Furthermore, dentures present an affordable tooth-replacement option, making them an attractive choice for patients on a budget.

Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options

Not a good candidate for dentures? That’s okay! You can explore our other tooth replacement options, which include:

• Dental Bridges: These are ideal for patients with a few missing teeth. It’s worth noting that they rely on healthy teeth adjacent to the gap to support the prosthetic tooth.
• Dental Implants: This option requires a strong bone structure and offers a permanent solution. While implants may be more expensive than traditional dentures, they provide long-lasting results.

What Are Dentures Made Of?

Dentures are comprised of two different parts – the base and the replacement teeth. Here is what they include:

• Dentures Base: This is the foundation that gives artificial teeth support. It can be made from many different materials, including acrylic, nylon, and resin. Full dentures are usually made using acrylic because they can be tailored to closely match your gum tissue. Partial dentures sometimes use metal clips with an acrylic base.
• Artificial Teeth: The replacement teeth are attached to the base. They are usually made from resin or porcelain because they both have a natural appearance. However, porcelain is a more popular option because it appears and feels like natural teeth. It is also a durable material.

The Denture Creation Process

Every denture is customized for the patient’s mouth. This requires a multi-step process. Here is what a step-by-step process typically looks like:

• Step 1: First, your dentist will start by taking impressions of your upper and lower gums using a thick paste. This is used to create a plaster model that acts as a replica of your mouth. The model is used to make sure the final denture is of the appropriate size and shape. Measurements of your jaw may be taken at this time.
• Step 2: Next, the case is sent to the dental laboratory where your dentures will be crafted. They will create a wax replica of your gum line.
• Step 3: The artificial teeth are set into place, and a mechanical device known as an articulator will be used to attach the teeth with wax/ The technician will make minor adjustments by shaping and carving the wax to ensure that it looks like your gums. This wax base will be used for your finished denture.
• Step 4: The wax dentures are sent to your dentist for a fitting. If everything looks good, the dentures are sent back to the dental lab where the process will be completed. Until then, you will be given temporary dentures to wear.
• Step 5: Once they have been returned to the lab, the technician will boil your dentures to get rid of the wax portions. To do this, the dentures are placed in a flask which is a holding device into which plaster is poured to maintain the shape of the dentures. The entire flask is placed in hot water to melt the wax away.
• Step 6: Once the wax is melted away, holes are made in the teeth so the material can attach to it. A liquid separator is added to the plaster layer to stop the acrylic from sticking to it. Acrylic is injected into the flask to replace the wax.
• Step 7: The plaster is carefully removed using special lab tools to reveal the dentures. The dentures are placed into an ultrasonic bath to remove any remaining plaster.   
• Step 8: Any excess acrylic will be cut from the denture. After the trimming process, the denture will be polished.
• Step 9: Once the process is complete, you can return to the practice for a fitting. Adjustments will be made if needed to ensure everything is working properly and smoothly.

Adjusting to Your New Dentures

It’s normal to experience slight discomfort when you first get your new dentures. The good news is that this is completely temporary. With a little bit of time, your mouth will adjust to dentures, and they will feel very similar to natural teeth. During the adjustment period, it’s a good idea to stick to softer foods and to exercise your facial muscles. If the discomfort persists, give us a call so we can help!

Removable Dentures

When you have the ability to take out your dentures, it allows you to clean hard-to-reach areas, such as underneath the acrylic gums, but removable dentures can come with unique challenges in terms of daily maintenance.

Remove After Eating

All too often, tiny bits of food become trapped in between the denture and the gum tissue. Not only can this be uncomfortable, but it can increase your chances of a gum infection, which is why you should take your dentures out after you’re finished eating. Keeping this space clear enables you to enjoy wearing your dentures and prepare for your next meal later on without experiencing discomfort.

Clean Your Restoration

Although your teeth are prosthetic, they still need to be cleaned. No, they will not get cavities, but if you allow plaque and tiny bits of food to remain on your dentures, you could develop gum disease, which can cause your jawbone to shrink at a much faster rate. Plus, your replacement teeth won’t continue to look realistic or healthy unless you clean them regularly! To clean your dentures, you need to brush them, and you can soak them with denture cleanser to remove microscopic bacteria.

Keep Your Dentures Safe

Although these prosthetic teeth are tough, they still need to be protected from unnecessary damage. Whenever your dentures are not in your mouth, place them in a glass of water for a couple of reasons. First, you should put the glass in the same area so you can easily find them later, and the water keeps the denture moistened.

Remove Dentures When You Sleep

At first, you may never want to take your dentures out of your mouth. However, you should do so when you go to bed. Did you know that your mouth produces less saliva when you’re asleep? As a result, if you leave your dentures in your mouth during the night, oral bacteria can spread and thrive on your dentures, potentially infecting your gums. While you sleep, you should soak your dentures in a glass of water or use denture cleanser so they’re minty fresh in the morning.

Notice Changes

Over time, you may start to feel subtle changes in how your dentures fit. Perhaps they slip a little more when you have extra chewy foods, or maybe they cause a little irritation where they didn’t before. Keep track of any changes and let Dr. Schumacher know about them so he can make necessary adjustments. At some point, usually after 5 years, these changes could indicate the need for a new, better-fitting denture.

What Qualifies You for Dentures?

Whether you qualify for dentures depends partly on the kind you want —partial, full, or implant-retained. As such, consider the requirements for the types below:

• Partial Dentures: This type is preferable for those who still have most of their teeth. The missing ones might’ve been lost due to oral disease, malnutrition, or an unlucky accident.
• Full Dentures: A dentist might suggest full dentures if you’ve already lost all your teeth or don’t have any worth saving.
• Implant-Retained Dentures:  Since they rely on dental implants, these dentures are ideal if you still have the jawbone density to support them. You could also qualify for this type if you first restore lost density with a bone graft.

Will it Hurt to Get Dentures?

You might feel discomfort from dentures during pre-treatment work and restoration aftercare.

For instance, you might need to have some teeth pulled before getting dentures. If so, you’ll likely have some discomfort after the oral surgery. As long you take your prescribed medicines, though, this feeling will fade in mere days.

Later, your mouth might feel irritated as it adjusts to the dentures themselves. This soreness’ duration can vary, but it often lasts a few months. However, the adjustment could take longer if you switch to new dentures.

Should your denture pain persist, call your dentist for treatment at once. You may be facing an oral health issue.

Can I Sleep with My Dentures?

Most dentists (including Dr. Schumacher) recommend taking dentures out at night. The only exception is when you first start using them, as you’ll keep them in your mouth for an initial 24 hours.

You see, wearing dentures to bed causes health problems. The prosthetics restrict gum circulation, so overnight use can trigger tissue irritation. Meanwhile, sleeping with dentures gives harmful oral bacteria a place to grow and thrive. As a result, you’d be raising your risk of gum disease, pneumonia, and other issues.

Will Dentures Change the Shape of My Face?

In many cases, dentures do change the shape of your face. Fortunately, said change tends to be a good thing!

If you didn’t already know, tooth loss could give your face a sunken appearance. Since missing teeth cause your jawbone to erode, your facial muscles will get less and less support. Still, dentures can help these facial muscles and thus boost your looks.

On the other hand, this effect wouldn’t apply to ill-fitting dentures. After all, these wouldn’t give your facial muscles the proper support. Therefore, each restoration must fit perfectly in your mouth. It’s also a good idea to repair or refit a denture when you realize it doesn’t fit properly.