Dentures

Dentures today are a far cry from the false teeth earlier generations had to put up with. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, modern dentures – with porcelain or plastic teeth on an acrylic base – are much more comfortable. They also look more natural, and people can now rarely tell when someone is wearing a denture.

Along with developments in denture technology have come advances in treatment expertise and techniques. Some dentists who provide denture treatment specialize in prosthodontics, like Plymouth prosthodontist Dr. Christopher Sasik at Metropolitan Prosthodontics. These dentists are teeth replacement experts who’ve undertaken years of extensive training beyond dental school.

What Is Prosthodontics?

Prosthodontics is a specialty recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA). The advanced training of prosthodontists makes them highly qualified in tooth replacement methods such as dentures and dental implants, and in achieving optimal oral functionality and appearance enhancement.

All dentists study at dental school for four years. Prosthodontists undertake a further three or four years of specialized training through an ADA-accredited program at a hospital or university. For example, Dr. Sasik, a leading prosthodontist in Plymouth, continued his dental education with three years of prosthodontics residency at the prestigious Mayo Graduate School of Medicine and Science. The graduate prosthodontic program includes seminars, lectures, reviews of prosthodontic scholarly papers, and laboratory and clinical training. While there are nearly 200,000 general dentists in the U.S., there are only around 3,500 qualified prosthodontic specialists.

High-Quality Dentures Treatment in Plymouth

In addition to clinical and aesthetic expertise, dentures treatment at Plymouth Minneapolis Metropolitan Prosthodontics includes denture fabrication in its own dental laboratory. This helps to streamline treatment by ensuring total control over the timing of making dentures while maintaining quality in craftmanship and materials.

Metropolitan Prosthodontics provides customized removable dentures, including implant-supported dentures, for individuals who’ve lost all their teeth or are missing a single tooth or several teeth. We explain the pros and cons of each denture option to help patients make an informed decision on which type of dentures are right for them, taking into account the condition of their oral health and their expectations and goals. We can then create a treatment plan tailored to their individual needs and requirements.

Types of Dentures at Your Plymouth Prosthodontist

Plymouth prosthodontist Dr. Sasik provides various types of removable custom dentures to suit the needs of different patients. These dentures include:

  • Full dentures – conventional dentures and immediate dentures.
  • Partial dentures.
  • Implant-supported overdentures.

Removable Full Dentures

There are two types of removable full dentures – conventional and immediate.

Conventional Dentures

Conventional full – or complete – dentures provide synthetic teeth to replace all teeth missing in a dental arch. The dentures are removable for cleaning and maintenance. Full upper, maxillary arch dentures have a plate that covers the roof of the mouth. Full lower, mandibular arch dentures are horseshoe shaped to rests on gum and bone tissue.

Conventional dentures are made after teeth have been extracted while gum tissue is healing. The dentures can be worn about eight to 12 weeks after teeth removal. Prosthodontists follow a more meticulous denture treatment process than general dentists, including input from patients on denture selection and positioning. The resulting dentures restore bite function, improve speech, and enhance smiles by supporting facial structure.

Immediate Dentures

Immediate dentures are made in advance and can be placed as soon as teeth are taken out. This avoids the patient being without teeth during the healing process. Gum and bone tissue shrinks during healing after teeth extraction, so immediate dentures typically need more adjustments to fit properly, compared with conventional dentures. However, they do an important job as a temporary solution until conventional dentures can be made and worn.

Partial Dentures

Partial removable dentures are attached to remaining teeth to replace one or several missing teeth in the upper or lower jaw. Partial dentures are usually more stable than a full denture and they prevent adjacent natural teeth from shifting out of position.

Partial dentures also look more natural. The replacement teeth are designed to match the color, shape and size of surrounding natural teeth. Partial dentures are often used when too many teeth are missing for a fixed bridge to be placed or when dental implants aren’t feasible. Like full dentures, partial dentures need maintenance to keep them fitting properly to the tissues they rest on.

Implant-Supported Overdentures

Dentures treatment at Plymouth’s Metropolitan Prosthodontics can be combined with dental implants. An implant-supported overdenture (ISO) is a removable complete denture held in place by implants to improve function and stability. While standard dentures are held in place by natural suction and adhesives, overdentures are fastened onto dental implants that have been placed in the jaw.

A problem with regular dentures is that they don’t replace tooth roots, without which jawbone deteriorates over time. Overdentures prevent or slow down bone loss by stimulating jawbone during eating. The titanium in the dental implant forms an artificial tooth root as it fuses with bone. Implants can also be used with non-removable dentures.

Why You Might Need Dentures

The main cause of tooth loss is gum disease or extensive dental decay. Risk factors are increased by:

  • Poor oral hygiene.
  • Smoking.
  • Genetic susceptibility to tooth decay.
  • Oral yeast infection.
  • Dry mouth caused by certain medical conditions and medications.

Statistics from the American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) show that:

  • 178 million people in the U.S. are missing at least one tooth.
  • 40 million have lost all their teeth.
  • 30 percent of adults aged 65-plus have no natural teeth left.

Important Role of Dentures at Your Plymouth Prosthodontist

Dentures for Plymouth individuals who have lost teeth play a crucial role in maintaining oral health and overall wellbeing. Teeth help to preserve oral and facial structure, enable us to chew food so it’s digestible, and help us to speak clearly. The loss of just one tooth can impair oral functionality, and if you’re missing more teeth, the consequences can be much more severe.

Tooth loss also puts you at greater risk of gum disease in the future, and this can lead to many serious health issues such as stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. Dentures from your prosthodontist in Plymouth overcome the potential health issues arising from missing teeth. They also avoid unsightly gaps left by missing teeth, restore your smile, enhance your self-confidence, and help to make you look younger.

Get in touch if you’d like to know more about the benefits of prosthodontic dentures treatment at our Plymouth prosthodontics center.