When you have lost most or all of your natural teeth, you need more than a bridge or an individual dental implant. To restore function and beauty to your smile, a set of dentures is necessary. In today’s blog, your Overland Park, KS, dentist talks about how we can help complete your smile with removable or implant-secured dentures.
The Factors Behind Tooth Loss
What causes someone to lose the majority of their natural teeth? This could happen due to issues like cavities, infection, and even injuries. The advanced stage of gum disease, known as periodontitis, is the number one cause of adult tooth loss. When we lose most of our teeth, this can impact how we speak and even lead to limited meal options and poor nutritional intake. You could feel embarrassed about your appearance, and even develop an older appearance as the jaw gradually breaks down, the result of a loss of mass and density that usually follows tooth loss. But we can restore function, health, and beauty with a set of custom dentures.
Creating Custom Prosthetics
To begin, our team will carefully examine your smile and if necessary, will extract the last few teeth. We then take detailed digital images and measurements of the smile, which is used in a lab setting to aid in designing and fabricating your new denture. The prosthetic will contain a complete row of ceramic teeth, which can handle daily bite forces and pressures. These teeth are inserted into an acrylic base that mimics the appearance of gum tissue. The removable option is then held in place with suction or adhesives, and requires removal for cleaning and soaking. These prosthetics tend to last about 5 to 10 years before we need to replace them. Replacement is necessary as the jaw ridge changes shape due the loss of mass and density.
Support with Dental Implants
We could also support them with dental implants. Inserted into the jaw, these act as new roots and prevent the loss of mass and density. Which means when we attach your denture to them, you have a new smile that can last for decades to come, possibly a lifetime! You also don’t need to remove them for soaking or cleaning, and they never slip when you eat or drink. If you have any questions about how we create a set of custom and lifelike dentures, then contact our team today.
EARN MORE ABOUT CUSTOM PROSTHETICS WITH DR. STUART DEXTER IN OVERLAND PARK, KS!
A full smile is possible even if you lose most of your teeth. To find out more about treating tooth loss, give a call to your Overland Park and Prairie Village, KS prosthodontist, Dr. Stuart Dexter, DDS at (913)362-8200.