Facing Dentures in Your Future? Here is What You Can Expect!
If you are missing some teeth, your dentist may recommend that you invest in a pair of dentures. Dentures are often more affordable as an option to replace teeth than other options, such as dental implants. However, the best dentures are still quite expensive. Before you invest in denture teeth, you should know a little bit more about them and how they will help you. You should also know where to look for affordable or free dentures.How Dentures Work
Dentures are fake teeth set in prosthetic gums that you can put into your mouth to replace teeth that you are missing. They sit on your gums, allowing you to chew and eat as you normally would. Dentures are sometimes called falsies, dental plates, or false teeth. They can be kept in place with denture bonding adhesives, but this is not always necessary.Denture bonding adhesives come in two main types: pastes or powders. Pastes are applied in thin strips on top of the dentures. The dentures are then pressed in place and held there by the denture bonding paste. Powders are sprinkled onto the dentures. The dentures are then pressed in place and held there by the powder. Denture bonding pastes can sometimes create a small gap between the gums and the dentures, and this is avoided with a powder.
How Dentures Are Made
If you need to have denture teeth, your dentist will make an impression of your jaw and take a series of measurements of your mouth. He is looking to see how your jawbones line up and how much space you should have between your teeth. Once these measurements are taken, the dentist will have some plastic or wax models of your dentures made. These will be fit into your mouth to make sure they are comfortable. They will also be colored to make sure they look natural. Once the dentist has the design right, he will create a final denture. This may need to be adjusted some to fit your mouth once the entire process is complete.Types of Dentures
There are two main types of dentures on the market today. Complete dentures are used when all of the teeth are missing. These can be either on the top or the bottom. Some people need complete dentures on both the tops and the bottoms of their mouths. If you have a few teeth remaining but your dentist thinks that the best dentures for you would be complete dentures, he may surgically remove your few remaining teeth.Partial dentures are used when only some teeth are missing. This is sometimes called a bridge. You will wear a bridge in your mouth with synthetic teeth attached to it. This allows you to keep the teeth that have not yet fallen out or been removed.
Besides these two types, you will also need to decide if you want hard or soft dentures. Traditional dentures are hard, which means they have a hard plastic liner. These are durable, but they can be uncomfortable for some patients. Soft dentures are made out of a silicone compound rather than hard plastic. This is more flexible and comfortable for most patients. However, soft dentures can be quite a bit more expensive and do not last as long as hard dentures.
Caring for Your Dentures
Taking good care of your dentures is important, as they are easy to break and stain. You should brush your dentures regularly as you did your teeth when you had them. Use a toothbrush on your dentures and also on your gums and tongue. When you are not wearing your dentures, store them in cool water. Hot water can damage them.Like natural teeth, dentures can be stained by the foods you eat. You can look into denture whitening products to help you with this problem. Remember, denture whitening products will only restore your dentures to their previous color. If your dentist created dentures that were slightly stained to match your remaining teeth, you will not be able to change this with denture whitening products.
Paying for Your Dentures
Dentures are expensive, no matter if you are considering complete or partial dentures. If you have dental insurance, you will probably be able to get free dentures through your plan. Most dental insurance plans cover dentures because they are considered medically necessary. After all, without teeth, you would have a hard time eating! Check your plan to see if dentures are covered or not.If you do not have dental insurance, you may be able to find a dentist that offers affordable dentures. However, do not cut too many corners as you search for affordable dentures, because you want to make sure that you have a good fit. Instead, consider finding a dentist that will allow you to make payments on your dentures, instead of paying for them upfront. Many dentists have this service, and this will allow you to get the best dentures even when you cannot afford to pay for them upfront.
