Complete and Partial Dentures

Without teeth or with several missing teeth, chewing and speaking can be problematic. Dentures allow you to eat to get the proper nutrition you need to be healthy. They also make speaking easier and improve your appearance. Dr. Vandersluis can fit you with dentures to solve all these issues.

Tooth Loss

You can lose teeth due to many different causes. Not following a healthy dental hygiene routine can cause cavities. Your dentist can often repair your teeth in these cases, but the longer you go without taking good care of your teeth, the greater the chance you will lose them.

Accidents can cause injuries such as knocked out teeth or teeth that are too damaged to repair. As you get older, you are more likely to lose teeth from gum disease than from decay. Tooth loss can be emotionally traumatizing, especially after you have already lost some of your teeth. The dentist provides caring treatment to replace the teeth with a dental prosthetic.

Partial Dentures

Partial dentures replace only some of your teeth. For instance, if you lose a few teeth in the front of your mouth, the dentist can recommend a partial denture with artificial teeth to do the work of your original teeth. The partial denture has wires that connect to teeth on each side of the gap so they stay in place.

Removable Full Dentures

If you have lost all your teeth, your dentist can recommend full dentures to take the place of all your teeth. Or, if you have lost too many teeth to be able to chew or speak properly, you may choose full dentures as well. The dentist extracts the remaining teeth and makes impressions for the new dentures. When they are ready, your dentist checks the fit and makes any adjustments necessary. Sometimes, it takes several visits to get the fit exactly right.

Removable dentures need to be cleaned each day to prevent the growth of bacteria and to keep them looking and smelling their freshest. Ask the dentist to recommend a cleaning product for them. Most people sleep with their dentures removed and stored in water or in the cleaning solution. Letting the dentures dry out can affect the fit and cause them to smell bad.

If is also important to take care of your gums even after you lose all your teeth. Otherwise, your gums can become infected and you can lose bone in your jaw.

Implant-Supported Dentures

Dentures can be made to be held in place by implants. The first step after examination and treatment planning is for your dentist to insert the implant posts in your jaw. Finally, the dentist makes the impressions for your dentures. When the dentures are ready, he attaches them to the implants.

To clean implant-supported dentures, you need a single-bristle brush to clean around the implant posts. Then, clean the dentures as you would any other denture and leave them out overnight. Removing the dentures when you sleep allows your mouth to get more stimulation and air circulation so your mouth can stay healthy. Talk to your dentist about which type of dentures is right for you.