Dentures in Anderson, IN

Since this is an apparatus that comes in an out of your mouth daily, proper cleaning, use, and storage is essential.  Try to avoid foods that cause stains, swollen gums, or bad breath.  Use specific denture-care products for cleaning and clean your dentures daily.  Do not sleep in your dentures.  Take them out at night and keep them in a denture-cleaning liquid or water.

The type of dentures that are best for you will depend on your needs, your oral health, and your lifestyle.  Common options include:

Complete (Full) Dentures

Complete dentures are usually considered the option of last resort.  Your dentist will likely recommend other restoration and treatment options before going this route.  Complete dentures can lead to speech impediments, including lisps, because they are so hard to get used to.  There is a think material that covers the palate and effectively changes the contours of the inside of your month.  If your bones shrink over time, your dentures will not shrink with them.  They stay the same size which may change how they fit. Only dental implants preserve the bone.

However, some patients’ oral health has deteriorated to the point, where full dentures are in fact the best and only choice.  In the end, they will restore the look and shape of your natural teeth, and help you get back to eating and chewing normally.

Removable Partial Dentures

Removable partial dentures (RPD’s) are artificial teeth rooted to a plastic base custom build to match the color of your gums.  They are often recommended for people with only a few teeth missing, but who may not be candidates for a dental bridge. 

Like complete dentures, RPD’s restore your mouth and teeth’s function and feel and look like your natural teeth.  They too must be cleaned regularly and taken special care of.  While they are built on a cast metal framework, they can still be fragile and easily damaged.

Fixed Partial Dentures

Fixed partial dentures (FPD’s) also go by the name “implant-supported bridges.”  Existing teeth on either side of a gap are used as anchors or abutments.  For patients who don’t want the hassle or responsibility of removable dentures, they are a good option.  FPD’s are recommended for patients missing teeth consecutively in a row.

Since FPD’s require two implants and are not removable, to qualify you will need healthy teeth on both side of the device.  They are stronger than removable dentures but carry some risk as abutting teeth are more at risk for decay.  

Implant Retained Dentures

Implant retained dentures, or overdentures, are not permanently attached to any implant.  They snap into your mouth, latching on to abutments.  For patients who suffer from bone loss and need more stability, this can be a good option.  This type of dentures can support an entire set of teeth and are more durable than other types of dentures. Patients are able to improve chewing and other mouth functions.  They require daily maintenance and cleaning, however, and should be removed at night.  

Immediate Dentures

For patients who have teeth extracted and need dentures the same day, immediate dentures are a good option.  These are temporary though.  Immediate dentures are not custom fit and intended to be a short-term fix.  Six to eight weeks after one’s teeth are extracted, the patient’s jaw has usually had time to heal enough for a more permanent solution to be installed.