How Dentures Can Improve Your Quality Of Life

At Kingman Family Dentistry we understand that being completely toothless can have a huge impact on your quality of life, therefore, if you are looking to have dentures in Kingman AZ, we highly urge you to visit our dental office, as we strive to provide professionally fabricated well-fitted dentures that can guarantee you a natural feel and look, where you can smile with confidence. 

In the following article, we will discuss everything you need to know about dentures, from the types of denture available to post-delivery care. If you still have any questions, please feel free to come to Kingman Family Dentistry center, where Dr. Lindsay and her team will be more than happy to help you.

What are dentures?

Dentures are removable appliances that fulfil gaps in your mouth. They are made up of artificial teeth that function like natural teeth, with a base covering the gum that acts as a foundation where the artificial teeth are attached. Dentures prevent eating and speaking problems associated with teeth loss, complete dentures will help restore your facial contour as well.

Types of denture

We offer two types of dentures, partial and complete dentures.

Partial denture: 

These made to replace a few missing teeth, the design is made of gum-colored plastic base with fake teeth, connected via a metal framework. 

Complete denture: 

These are a complete set of teeth fabricated to restore your full upper or lower missing teeth. 

How are dentures made?

The fabrication of a denture, whether complete or partial denture, follows almost the same steps. Several appointments need to be done before the delivery of your denture. 

Firstly, the prosthodontics team at Kingman Family Dentistry center would take several impressions of your teeth and jaw to study your bite. Secondly, a wax-up or a model that resembles your future denture is made up, where several try-in appointments are conducted to assess the denture before final casting. Finally, after choosing the right shape and color of the teeth, the denture would be delivered to you. 

Caring for your denture

Having a denture is like having natural teeth, you need to take care of it daily so it can last longer.

• You will need to brush all surfaces of your denture with a soft-bristled toothbrush at least twice a day, avoid hard toothbrushes as they may damage your denture.
• Use a non-abrasive type of toothpaste to clean your denture, this can be recommended to you by your dentist or you can simply pick it up from any pharmacy.
• While removing your denture, you need to be careful it won't slip and break, thus we always recommend removing it under a sink full of water as a precaution.
• Typically, you are required to remove your denture at night, so your gum tissue can rest, the denture needs to be kept in a moist environment so we suggest that you put it in a denture cleansing solution during the night. 

How often should I visit my dentist while wearing a denture?

After receiving your denture, Dr. Lindsay and her team will keep ongoing follow-up for post-operative care of your denture. They would schedule you for regular 6 to 12 months appointments, so they can check the fit of your denture, the health of the underlying gum and look for any signs of oral diseases. 

Will my new dentures affect my everyday life?

Dislodgement of the denture while eating is a common complaint. As a start, you need to go on a soft diet, food is cut into small pieces, and with plenty of fluids until you get used to it and get back to your normal diet. Also, you need to avoid sticky food and not poke your denture with a toothpick. At the same time, pronouncing certain letters can be challenging at first. You need to practice saying those letters out loud several times until you are accustomed to speaking properly while wearing your denture. 

Most patients experience increased saliva production shortly after wearing a new denture. Once your mouth is used to the new denture, the amount of saliva produced will get back to normal.Lastly, your facial muscles might be sore initially, they need some time to adapt to the new denture, but we can assure you that this pain is temporary and that you have nothing to worry about. If any of these problems persist, then you may need to visit your dentist for some adjustments. ‍

Possible complications of dentures I need to be aware of

Although complications are not that common, we always recommend our patients to keep monitoring their oral tissue for any abnormalities while wearing their dentures.

Please visit our practice if you develop any of the following:

• Ulcers lasting more than two weeks.
• Persistent pain while wearing the denture.
• Swelling gums.
• Gum abscess. 
• Loose teeth (in case of a partial denture).
• White patch on the gum underlying the denture.

Do I need to us denture adhesives?

If the denture is properly fitted then there would be no need for adhesives. Dentures may wear with time and start to get loose thus adhesives are used to give added stability. On the other hand, If you start to use adhesives excessively to fill voids or retain a poorly constructed denture, you will need to visit your dentist to adjust your denture as necessary or make you a new one. At Kingman Family Dentistry center, we inform our patients to only use adhesives as directed by their dentist. 

How long will my denture last?

Wearing a denture for a prolonged period causes constant pressure on your gums and bones, at the same time, ageing and its associated changes can all result in shrinking jawbones thus making the denture ill-fitting. Initially, your dentist would relian\rebase the internal surface of the denture to preserve it as long as possible, until the replacement of the whole denture becomes necessary. As a general rule, dentures would last five to seven years before a new denture is needed. 

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