When you think of getting dentures, you probably don’t picture yourself with a beautiful new smile makeover, but you can. These days, dentures can look as beautiful and natural as you’d like them to. Gone are the days when people had to hide their smiles. Dr. Susan Dennis is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and she combines the training and experience to create comfortable dentures with the eye of an artist.
Materials Matter in Dentures
Whether you need full, removable dentures or partial dentures that replace just a few teeth and attach to surrounding healthy teeth, the materials they are made of makes a big difference. Many dentists use acrylic denture teeth because they are inexpensive and easy to work with, but those qualities come at a cost. Acrylic doesn’t have the same properties as tooth enamel. It can’t give the depth of color variation or translucency found in real teeth. In addition, it stains easily and wears down quickly. And cheaper materials that are sometimes used for the base of the dentures tend to distort during the manufacturing process, leading to a less accurate fit that can tend to create denture sores.
Dr. Dennis uses only the highest quality materials for the dentures she creates. Advances in the science of dentistry and in technology make a big difference in how your dentures will, fit, function, and reflect your personality.
The Dentures Process
The first step in creating dentures is taking a set of impressions. This may seem like a simple step, but getting complete impressions that contain all of the information needed to create dentures is actually quite complex. The impressions need to accurately reflect no only the upper and lower ridges of your jaw, they also have to show the positions of your cheeks, tongue, and lips. Often, getting an accurate impression is a two-step process where a model made from the first impression is used to create a custom tray that will be used for a more accurate final impression.
Developing the bite is a tricky proposition because without teeth, you have no natural biting position. Two wax bite blocks will be used to record how you close your jaws together, and the amount of lip support, the eventual position of the teeth, and the height of your dentures will be factored in. Finally, the teeth themselves, including their shade, shape, and size has to be determined.
The try-in process comes next, and in order to make sure things fit correctly, it is not uncommon to have more than one try-in appointment. Then the final fitting and a discussion about after-care can take place.
Different Types of Dentures
Dr. Dennis can provide you with complete removable dentures, partial dentures, or implant overdentures, also called implant-supported dentures. In some cases, you may want immediate dentures where the complete denture is placed the same day the teeth are extracted. Dr. Dennis can help you find the best approach for your individual situation. In fact, she’ll be happy to provide you with a brief complimentary consultation if you’d like to talk it over with her before you commit to a complete exam.
Feel free to give us a call or request an appointment. We’ll help you find the most convenient time to come in for a visit.