Dentures – Dallas, TX

Effects of Missing Teeth

While tooth loss is a common issue, its effects are pretty serious. In fact, failing to replace missing teeth can severely harm your oral health.

For one thing, the causes of lost teeth often need treatment themselves. Lacking pearly whites due to, say, decay or gum disease means your mouth is already in poor shape. If you restore your smile, though, a dentist can treat these problems before they worsen.

Furthermore, missing your chompers can make daily life difficult. After all, you need teeth for various everyday tasks – speaking, eating, (obviously) smiling, etc. Plus, smile gaps will tilt your remaining teeth over time, making them look crooked. You’d then experience dips in confidence and self-esteem.

What Qualifies You for Dentures?

True enough, almost anyone who’s missing teeth can qualify for dentures. However, some patients are especially likely to benefit from them. Such people tend to have the following:

• Significant Tooth Loss
• Dental Sensitivity
• Advanced Tooth Decay
• Sufficient Gum & Jaw Tissue

It’s also crucial that those with dentures stay committed to them. Without proper oral care and prosthetic maintenance, your new teeth won’t last long. Still, the financial burden isn’t too big – dentures are quite affordable and a good option for those on a budget. You can thus consider them a good, cost-effective investment.

Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options

If you don’t immediately qualify for dentures, don’t panic. You have other options when it comes to tooth replacement. For instance, Dr. Barnett’s dental office near Lakewood can also give you dental implants or preliminary work.

Unlike dentures or bridges, implants replace the whole tooth – from the crown to the root. They do so by fusing with your jawbone, a process that makes them a permanent part of your mouth. The result is a prosthetic that restores your smile and preserves your jaw tissue.

If necessary, our office could help you qualify for dentures later with preliminary procedures. These might include periodontal therapy, bone grafts, or more.  

Learn More About Dental Implants

Learn More About Gum Disease Treatment

What are Dentures Made Of?

Ultimately, dentures have two main parts: a base and a set of artificial teeth. Each is essential for the prosthetic’s overall function and quality. Consider, for example, the descriptions below:

• Denture Base – A denture’s base supports its artificial teeth. Generally, a dental lab can make one from wide-ranging materials, including acrylic, porcelain, metal, and nylon. However, which substance is used will differ based on the type of denture being made.
• Artificial Teeth – Artificial teeth are a denture’s tooth-replacing portions. Their porcelain or resin composition makes them look and feel like natural teeth. It’s usually porcelain, though, that’s used for full dentures, as that material can be abrasive on adjacent teeth.

The Denture Creation Process

Dental practices customize each denture for a specific patient’s mouth. As such, creating them involves a multi-step process. This method involves actions such as:

• Step 1: Your dentist will take a dental impression of your upper and lower gums. They’ll subsequently send the resulting model to a lab that creates the dentures.
• Step 2: After being crafted, the lab will return the wax dentures to the dentist/prosthodontist for a fitting. Should the patient and dentist approve, they’ll send the restorations back to the lab for completion.
• Step 4: A technician will boil the dentures to remove their wax portions. They’ll then place the appliance in a flask to pour plaster. The flask will go on to be placed in hot water to melt the dentures.
• Step 5: The lab worker will make holes in the artificial teeth so new material can attach to them. They’ll then add A liquid separator to the plaster layer to prevent the acrylic from sticking. The same acrylic is then injected into the flask to replace the wax.
• Step 6: The worker will remove the plaster to reveal the prosthetics. Later, they’ll place the dentures in an ultrasonic bath to remove leftover plaster.
• Step 7: The technician will polish the restorations after removing excess acrylic.
• Step 8: The patient will return to the office for fitting and final adjustments.

Adjusting to Your New Dentures

Admittedly, you’ll feel mild aches as you start wearing dentures. This soreness could be especially apparent when you try speaking or eating. That said, the discomfort will fade soon enough once you’ve adjusted to your new teeth.

Of course, you can always speed up the adjustment process if you’d like. Just eat soft foods, exercise your facial muscles, and experiment with suitable adhesives. In no time, these practices will help your dentures seem like a natural part of your mouth!

Psychological Benefits

Whenever someone loses teeth and has visible gaps in their smile, there can be all kinds of negative consequences to their psychological well-being. In many cases, they may feel extremely self-conscious, are more likely to hide their mouth when smiling or talking, and are less likely to participate in social events. However, by renewing their smile with dentures, they can enjoy showing off their new pearly whites, significantly reducing their anxiety about how they look, speak, eat, and more.

Clearer Enunciation

If you’re missing some or most of your teeth, then you understand how difficult it is to talk comfortably. When pronouncing certain words, you usually have to place your tongue and lips properly against your teeth. If you can’t do this, then some words and phrases will be much harder (nearly impossible) to say. By replacing your lost teeth with dentures, you’ll be much more capable of enunciating clearly when talking to others. It can take some time to get accustomed to your prosthetics, but you should start speaking more naturally with a little practice and repetition.

Improves Nutrition

Plenty of foods are tough to chew, including nutritious ones like fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. Without the ability to chew your meals efficiently and comfortably, you may end up experiencing problems like indigestion and malnutrition. To broaden your dietary choices as well as improve your nutrition, you can restore your bite with dentures. They can make a significant difference in both your oral and overall health, as you’ll be able to consume the nutrients you need for a healthier smile.

Preserves Oral Health

Even if your remaining natural teeth don’t hurt after losing some or most of your smile, they can still be at risk of moving out of place to fill the gaps. This is because your jawbone will begin to deteriorate due to a lack of stimulation. Dentures can help keep your other pearly whites from shifting around, preventing the risk of further tooth loss. They can also help avoid wear and tear on your remaining teeth, as they’ll bear some of the weight of excessive chewing.

Expands Opportunities

When it comes to first impressions, your smile is one of the main things people notice. This means if you’re going into an interview, seeking a job promotion, or even on a date, having a healthy and beautiful set of teeth can make all the difference. By restoring your smile with dentures, you can feel more confident in how you look, which will show in the way you carry yourself. Doing so can end up boosting your personal and professional opportunities.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Dentures

No two dentures are created equal. In fact, each of these prosthetics is fully personalized to fit perfectly within your unique smile. With that in mind, here are three of the primary factors that can impact the price of dentures:

• Preparatory procedures – Your denture dentist in Dallas may need to perform certain treatments, such as tooth extractions or gum disease therapy before your mouth is ready for dentures. While these procedures ensure your new smile has a healthy foundation, they do increase your overall treatment costs.
• Materials – The base of your denture can be made from various types of acrylic, all of which are dyed to match the color of your gums. Different kinds of acrylic can influence the price.
• Replacement teeth – Similarly, your artificial teeth can be constructed from different materials. Most patients choose to have their replacement teeth crafted from either porcelain or acrylic, both of which are lifelike, durable, and fully customizable.

It’s worth mentioning that just because a tooth replacement option is inexpensive, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better. When it comes to your smile, quality is always important!

Are Implant Dentures More Expensive?

Implant dentures do have a higher up-front price tag than traditional dentures, but they’re an investment worth making. A conventional denture normally has to be replaced every five to seven years, while an implant denture can last up to 30 years. With implant dentures, you’d just be making a one-time payment, while other options would eventually cost more in the long run due to their need for frequent replacements.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dentures?

Yes, most dental insurance plans cover dentures in Dallas to some extent. The best way to find out just how much coverage you qualify for is to contact your insurance company directly. Of course, our team is happy to assist you with this process! We can also help you file your claims if need be. We’re even in-network with many of the nation’s leading dental insurance providers, including BlueCross Blue Shield, and Aetna.

Other Options for Making Dentures Affordable

In addition to dental insurance, our dental office near Lake Highlands provides affordable dental financing through CareCredit and Lending Club. These companies can help you break up the cost of your treatment into smaller monthly chunks, many of which have little to no interest!

If you’re looking to save on more than just dentures, we suggest signing up for our in-office membership plan. For a low, flat annual fee, you’ll gain access to significant discounts on many of our services, including dentures. You’ll also receive FREE preventive care, such as checkups and cleanings, all without the annual maximums, deductibles, and waiting periods of traditional insurance. Just sign up and start saving!

Removable Dentures

Remove After Eating

Throughout the day, bacteria and food debris can accumulate on your dentures and put your gum tissue at risk. It’s always best to remove your prosthetics once you’re finished eating and give them thorough brushing and rinsing. This will eliminate harmful particles that can transfer into your oral cavity and put you at risk for gum disease.

Clean Your Restoration

Denture brushes, nonabrasive toothpaste, and other similar products can be helpful when it comes to cleaning your dentures. Because it is important to brush all sides of your smile, you’ll need to make sure to remove your teeth so that you can perform a thorough cleaning. In doing so, you’ll ensure that your teeth are free of harmful bacteria while also giving them the best chance to remain healthy for longer. During this time, you’ll also want to make sure you’re cleaning your gums, tongue, and other areas of your mouth so that it, too, remains free of bad oral bacteria.

Keep Your Dentures Safe

Although dentures are durable, they can break if too much pressure is applied. Accidental damage is common with these prosthetics, which is why we recommend that you use a towel and place it in the basin of your sink. This protects your teeth should you accidentally drop them while giving them a cleaning.

Remove Dentures When You Sleep

It might seem silly to remove your teeth while sleeping, but the reality is that they need time to soak and undergo extensive cleaning. This time apart from your dentures is also helpful to your gum tissues and bone. Throughout the day, these areas can become exhausted, and throughout the night, your gums can regain valuable nutrients, while your bone can relax without the additional pressure placed on it.

Notice Changes

While wearing dentures, it’s not uncommon to experience changes over time. However, if you notice that they no longer fit properly and sores are forming inside your mouth as well as irritation to your gum tissue or infection, don’t hesitate to call our office right away. You’ll need to come in and allow our team to examine your prosthetic to determine if it needs to be realigned or replaced. This will ensure that you avoid problems that can easily form inside the mouth.

All-On-4 Dentures

If you have All-On-4 dentures, you’ll need to make sure that you brush them twice a day (at least) with a soft-bristled toothbrush or an electric one. You’ll also want to use nonabrasive toothpaste, as it won’t scratch the material. Also, make sure that you’re flossing at least once each day. You can opt for floss threaders if that makes the process easier for you. It’s also possible to use a water irrigator if you find that to be a better solution.

Don’t forget to also rinse your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash, as this will help to alleviate the presence of tartar.