Dentures – North Dallas, TX

Effects of Missing Teeth

There are many ways you could lose teeth, from poor oral hygiene to accidental trauma. And you may not realize it, but missing teeth can do more than leave gaps in your grin. They can affect your overall health and quality of life in many ways, like:

• Shifting Teeth: Neighboring teeth may drift into the open space, causing bite problems.
• Bone Loss: Without stimulation from tooth roots, your jawbone can shrink over time.
• Facial Sagging: Loss of support can lead to a sunken or aged appearance.
• Speech Difficulties: Certain sounds become harder to pronounce clearly.
• Chewing Challenges: You may have to avoid hard or chewy foods, which can affect nutrition.
• Loss of Self-Esteem: Missing teeth can also take a mental toll, making you feel anxious or depressed.

What Are the Qualities of a Great Candidate for Dentures?

One of the best features of dentures is how adaptable and modular they are. Virtually any patient can receive dentures as long as they:

• Are missing several or all of their teeth
• Have healthy gum tissue and bone support
• Want an affordable, non-surgical solution for tooth loss
• Are committed to oral hygiene and denture care

At your consultation, we’ll discuss these points, examining your mouth and going over your treatment plan. Together, we can decide what kind of denture you’ll need and talk about next steps.

Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options

If you’re not a good candidate for dentures or are looking for a more permanent solution, our Dallas dental practice also offers other options like dental bridges and implants.

Dental bridges are ideal if you’re missing one or a few teeth in a row. They anchor to nearby healthy teeth and fill the gap with natural-looking restorations.

Dental implants are more involved, but well worth the investment. These are small screw-like fixtures surgically placed in your jawbone and act like artificial tooth roots. They’re durable, long-lasting, and often considered the gold standard for tooth replacement.

While we’re discussing your vision for your smile at your consultation, we can also check out these alternatives to find the one that best supports your long-term oral health and goals. No matter what you choose, you can be sure that your new smile will restore your quality of life well into the future!

Learn More About Dental Bridges

Learn More About Dental Implants

What Are Dentures Made Of?

Dentures are made of two main components: the teeth and the base. Each plays an important role in comfort, durability, and appearance.

• The Teeth: Artificial teeth are usually made from porcelain or other tooth-colored ceramic. This offers a more natural translucent look that is both very durable and highly stain-resistant.
• The Base: The gum-colored base is typically made from acrylic, nylon, or flexible polymer. These materials are designed to look just like natural gums while fitting securely and comfortably over your jawbone.

At our Dallas practice, we choose materials based on your needs, preferences, and lifestyle, putting them together for beautiful results.

The Denture Creation Process

Making dentures is a detailed, multi-step process designed to ensure optimal fit, function, and aesthetics. Here’s how it works:

• Step 1: Patel takes detailed impressions of your gums using an advanced iTero 5D scanner. These impressions are used to create a model of your mouth.
• Step 2: The model is sent to a dental lab, where a wax replica is created.
• Step 3: Acrylic resin teeth are set into the wax using an articulator device. Then, a technician shapes and carves the wax to resemble natural gums.
• Step 4: The wax dentures are sent back to our office for a trial fitting. While your permanent dentures are being made, you may receive temporary dentures to wear.
• Step 5: At the lab, the wax dentures are boiled and placed into a flask. This is then covered with plaster to create a mold.
• Step 6: Small holes are made in the teeth to help them bond to the final acrylic. A separator liquid is then applied, and acrylic is injected into the mold.
• Step 7: Once the acrylic hardens, the plaster is removed, and the dentures are cleaned in an ultrasonic bath to eliminate debris.
• Step 8: The newly cleaned base is trimmed, and the teeth are polished to a natural shine.
• Step 9: The finished dentures are returned for a final fitting. Adjustments are made to ensure a comfortable, secure fit. For All-on-4 patients, your permanent dentures may be placed the same day as your procedure!

Learn More About All-on-4 Dentures

Adjusting to Your New Dentures

Getting used to new dentures takes time, but with patience and practice, they’ll soon feel like a natural part of your smile. At first, you might experience slight discomfort, difficulty speaking, or changes in how you chew. These are normal and typically improve in a few weeks.

To speed up your adjustment, try reading aloud, choosing soft foods while you get used to chewing, and talking with trusted friends or family. Also, be sure to let your gums rest. Take your dentures out while you sleep and keep them clean. If you need help, or feel something is off with your prosthetics, we’re always just a phone call away.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Dentures

When determining the price of your prosthetics, some factors that can impact how much you’ll pay include:

• The preparation: Some patients might require preliminary services beforehand, such as tooth extraction or gum disease treatment, before receiving dentures, which can affect the overall cost.
• The materials: Your dentures can be constructed out of various materials, each of which comes with its unique price.
• The type of denture: Partial dentures might cost less compared to traditional full dentures. Implant dentures involve a surgical procedure, which will incur a higher price.

Remember that cheaper will not usually be better when it comes to paying for dentures. Lower-quality products can often require you to pay more in the long run due to complications, so it’s best to consider the benefits of investing in prosthetics that are of higher quality.

Are Implant Dentures More Expensive?

Implant dentures are generally priced higher than other denture options, mainly because of the dental implant procedure required beforehand. Although it’s more expensive, keep in mind that your results are bound to last decades to a lifetime with proper care, since the metal posts will be fused with your jawbone and serve as your new tooth roots. They also won’t need special products or techniques to maintain them, meaning you can save more in the long run.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dentures?

Since dentures are considered a major restorative treatment, you can expect your dental insurance policy to include them. In most cases, your insurers can cover about 50% of the cost of this tooth replacement. Our team will be more than happy to walk you through the details of your plan as well as file claims on your behalf so that the process is smoother and stress-free.

Other Options for Making Dentures Affordable

Not currently covered by dental insurance? That’s fine! Our team is proud to offer a dental membership plan that provides patients with 20% discounts on all treatments after paying a low annual fee. You can also consider applying for a plan through a third-party financier like CareCredit, which can break up the total cost of your treatment(s) into monthly payments. And best of all, these plans tend to come with little to zero interest! This way, you can focus less on your budget and more on enjoying a full smile again.

How Long Will It Take to Get Dentures After You Have Your Teeth Pulled?

Usually, there’s a waiting period of about six to eight weeks between having your teeth extracted and receiving your dentures. This is to give your gums time to heal and also lets us ensure that your new teeth will fit properly. Note that if your dentures are being placed on dental implants, you’ll also need to wait an additional four to six months for the implant posts to join with the jawbone.

During your initial consultation, our team will give you an estimate of how long it will take to receive your new teeth so that you can plan accordingly.

Can I Sleep with My Dentures?

While you can sleep while wearing traditional removable dentures (and in fact will likely need to keep it in your mouth for the first 24 hours), it’s usually recommended to take them out in the evening. Dentures can irritate your gums and may potentially speed up ridge resorption, so it’s better to remove them at night to give your mouth a chance to recover. Furthermore, bacteria tend to thrive in the dark moist spaces underneath your dentures, so taking them out regularly is important for protecting your oral health.

Will It Hurt to Get Dentures?

If you need to have teeth extracted before getting dentures, you’ll probably notice some discomfort for about 3 to 5 days after the procedure. You can take prescribed or over-the-counter pain medication to stay comfortable during this time.

As for the dentures themselves, you may experience irritation of the gums while your mouth is adjusting to your new teeth. It can take months to fully get used to new dentures, although the exact amount of time depends on the person. If the discomfort doesn’t go away or seems to be getting worse, call our office right away.

Can You Still Eat Steak with Dentures?

While tough meats like steak are harder to chew with dentures, you can still enjoy them with the right preparation. Choose beef cuts like tenderloin that contain fewer hard-to-chew muscle fibers and connective tissues. Have the meat thoroughly tenderized before it’s cooked. Then, when you’re ready to eat it, cut it into small pieces that are easier to manage.

If you’re having trouble with your dentures slipping while you’re trying to chew, use an adhesive to hold them in place. This helps give them the stability they need to be able to handle tougher foods.