Dentures Overview
Even with a lifetime of optimal oral health and hygiene, you may one day face the loss of adult teeth. In fact, you might end up without an entire set of upper or lower teeth. Injury, disease, and illness can conspire against you and see you without teeth, and gum disease or tooth decay can also cause loss. This is why Chesterfield Family & Cosmetic Dental Center in Springfield, MO encourages our patients to consider the use of dentures.
As your dentist in Springfield, MO, we would say that dental implants are an ideal solution. However, not everyone has the budget for them, and some people simply cannot have them due to medical issues. This makes dentures a workable answer.
Dentures, also called false teeth, are much more high-tech and modern than those of even a few decades ago. Today’s dentures are convincingly authentic in their appearance and fit so well that they can be worn at any time without worry of slipping or falling out. You can even wear them as you eat, enabling you to enjoy the most optimal and healthiest diet and lifestyle possible.
There are several things that must happen before you can begin to use dentures, though, and there is a difference between full dentures and partial dentures. If you require full dentures, it may mean that you require remaining teeth to be extracted, and it would mean a period of healing before we can fit you with your permanent dentures. These will be sized according to your gums after swelling has receded, and special liners will be created to create a comfortable and optimal fit.
If you have many teeth remaining, and just a few missing, it could be that you require partials. These are, as they sound, partial dentures that can be designed to fit around existing teeth, and you may even opt to anchor dentures with one or two implants as well.
Which dentures are the right solution for your needs? That has to be answered after an exam and consultation with Dr. Buzbee and our team. For example, we have patients who are missing only two or three teeth, and who believe themselves to be ideal candidates for partials. However, it may be clear that several other teeth are at risk for being lost due to decay or disease. If this is the case, it could be that a set of well-made partials is not the solution, and that full dentures are required.
Contact Us
Whether you require extraction or you already have many missing teeth, dentures are a very reliable solution. If you have additional questions about dentures, or about any of the other treatments mentioned here, give us a call at our Springfield, MO office at 417-888-0771. You can also use our online contact form and one of our staff will get back to you promptly.