Dentures Back
: Dentures have been around for hundreds of years. No doubt you’ve heard about the trouble President George Washington had with his false teeth. Fortunately, dentures have come a long way since then. Today, they are still a popular choice for tooth replacement and they are constructed of quality materials that look and feel more natural. At Maple Valley Dental Clinic, dentures are custom designed. Dr. Dhaliwal or Dr. Tran can create a new smile for you whether you are missing all or several of your teeth.
Conventional Full Dentures: A full denture is a removable prosthesis designed to replace all of the teeth along either the top or bottom jaw. These dentures consist of false teeth that are attached to a gum-colored base. A combination of suction and muscle tension in your cheeks and tongue help to hold a full denture in place. Some patients, however, do find that a special denture adhesive is helpful. The advantage of dentures is that they are usually the least expensive option for tooth replacement. A drawback for some patients is that all of the teeth need to be extracted at least eight weeks before we begin designing and fabricating your new dentures. This time period is necessary in order for your gums to heal.
Immediate Dentures: Maple Valley Dental Clinic dentists Dr. Dhaliwal and Dr. Tran understand that some patients simply do not want to be without teeth for so long. That’s why we also offer immediate dentures. With these, the teeth behind your cuspids are initially removed while your front teeth remain. This way, you still have a fairly natural looking smile and you are able to chew some foods. While your mouth heals, your new denture are made in the dental lab. On the day we’re scheduled to place your immediate denture, the rest of your teeth will be extracted. You’ll need another appointment a few months out so we can adjust the fit of your dentures once your gums have healed in front.
Partial Dentures: If you are missing only a few teeth, whether they are consecutive or not, we can craft a partial denture. Like a full denture, a partial consists of false teeth mounted on a base. However, this denture also has a metal framework with brackets or clasps that attach the prosthesis to your remaining teeth.
Caring for dentures: When you have removable dentures of any kind, oral hygiene is just as important as when you had your own natural teeth. You’ll need to clean your dentures every night with a special brush and denture cleanser. Don’t sleep with dentures in your mouth. Instead, soak them in water or a denture cleaning solution. And be sure to brush your gums and tongue, too. While your dentures are removed, be sure to clean and massage your gums. If your toothbrush hurts your gums, run it under warm water to make it softer or try using a finger wrapped in a clean, damp cloth. If you have partial dentures, brush your natural teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush and floss. Dentures can break if dropped or squeezed too tightly. When you are handling your dentures, stand over a folded towel or a sink of water just in case you accidentally drop them.
