What are dentures?
Dentures, or false teeth, are a type of oral prosthetic used to replace missing teeth. They’re made of several materials, including acrylic, nylon, and metal, that can withstand the daily wear-and-tear of chewing, biting, and speaking.
Dentures can replace several teeth or all of your teeth. They’re easy to care for, last for decades, and can significantly improve your quality of life.
What are the different types of dentures?
Long Beach Family Dental Group offers several types of dentures, including:
Partial dentures
If you’re missing some of your permanent teeth but still have healthy teeth available, your provider might recommend partial dentures. Partial dentures sit on top of a wire frame that snaps into place around your existing teeth.
Removing partial dentures is simple and hassle-free, making it easy to clean and care for them.
Full dentures
If you’re missing all of your permanent teeth, you might benefit from full dentures. Full dentures can replace your upper arch, lower arch, or both arches. They feature a pink acrylic base that mimics your gum tissue, with a full row of false teeth on top.
Full dentures fit snugly over your existing gum tissue. You can apply a denture adhesive to prevent them from slipping or sliding around.
Implant-supported dentures
If you don’t want to remove your dentures on a nightly basis, consider implant-supported dentures. Implant-supported dentures snap onto dental implants –– small metal posts that your Long Beach Family Dental Group provider surgically places in your gum line.
With proper care and regular checkups, implant-supported dentures can last a lifetime.
What is the process for getting dentures?
At Long Beach Family Dental Group, getting dentures begins with a comprehensive oral exam, a review of your oral health history, and a discussion of your goals for treatment. After your provider gathers this information, they take oral X-rays to observe your jawbone and remaining tooth roots.
Next, your provider takes a series of impressions. If you have some permanent teeth left, your provider also observes the color of your existing tooth enamel.
If you’re missing all of your teeth, they only take impressions of your gums. Your provider sends the impressions to a lab that manufactures your partial or complete dentures.
Once the lab finishes making your dentures, you return to Long Beach Family Dental Group to try them on.
Getting implant-supported dentures requires oral surgery. During surgery, your provider carefully inserts a series of small metal posts into incisions in your gum line. Your bone grows around each implant, fusing it to your jaw.
Once your mouth heals, your provider takes impressions of your mouth and a dental lab uses them to craft custom dentures.
Don’t let missing teeth prevent you from living your best life. Schedule a dentures appointment at Long Beach Family Dental Group today. Call the office and speak with a friendly staff member or book a consultation online.
