Dentures – Mineola, NY

Effects of Missing Teeth

About 178 million Americans are missing one or more teeth. There are multiple possible causes of tooth loss, such as advanced tooth decay, gum disease that has reached its most severe stages, and accidents that involve getting hit in the mouth. No matter what the cause is, losing any number of teeth can have significant consequences for your oral health and your quality of life.

When your smile is incomplete, you may find that it’s harder to chew properly, thus limiting your ability to eat certain foods. Also, you might have a harder time speaking clearly; this, combined with the noticeable gap in your smile, can end up shaking your confidence and leave you with decreased self-esteem. The sooner you replace your missing teeth, the sooner you can put these problems behind you.

What Qualifies You for Dentures?

Have you lost most or all of your teeth? Or will you need to have your teeth extracted in the near future due to oral health issues? In these types of situations, dentures can be an excellent option for reclaiming a complete, beautiful smile.

Before we can confirm that you’re a candidate for dentures, though, we will need to perform a thorough examination of your mouth. Specifically, we’ll need to check the state of your gum tissue and your jawbone; they need to be in good health to support dentures.

It is worth noting that, much like your natural teeth, dentures need to be properly maintained on a daily basis if you want them to last as long as possible. Thus, a good candidate for dentures needs to be able to commit to caring for their prosthesis.

Finally, the exact type of denture that you qualify for (be it a full denture, a partial denture, or an implant denture) will depend on your specific tooth-loss situation.

What are Dentures Made Of?

Whether partial or full, all dentures have two essential parts: the base and the artificial teeth. These components make up most of any denture and ensure the restoration works. As for what they do, consider their features below:

• Denture Base – As the core structure that supports artificial teeth, a denture’s base is made of acrylic, nylon, porcelain, resin, or metal. Full and partial models mostly rely on acrylic bases, though nylon is a suitable substitute.
• Artificial Teeth – Artificial teeth (per their name) are a denture’s tooth-replacing portions. For that reason, they’re made from enamel-colored resin or porcelain – materials that give them a lifelike look.

The Denture Creation Process

Since each denture is customized for a particular patient, making one involves a multi-step process. The relevant steps are the following:

• Step 1: Our dentists will take a dental impression of your mouth. By doing so, we’ll be ready to make a plaster model that matches your future denture’s size and shape.
• Step 2: We’ll send the plaster model to a lab that uses it to create a wax gumline.
• Step 3: After making the wax gumline, lab workers will set artificial teeth in it. Doing so results in a prototype denture used to make the final one.
• Step 4: We’ll receive the prototype denture and see if it fits your mouth. Afterward, we’ll return it to the dental lab that crafts your restorations.
• Step 5: A worker will place the prototype in a flask after boiling it to remove its wax. As for the flask, this object will receive plaster and sit in hot water.
• Step 6: A separator will go into the plaster layer, keeping the acrylic from sticking. This material will be injected into the flask to replace the wax.
• Step 7: Lab workers will remove all plaster to reveal the final denture. Later, they’ll place the restoration in a bath to remove its residue.
• Step 8: Workers will cut off the denture’s excess acrylic, followed by briefly polishing it.
• Step 9: You will have your final denture fitted. At that time, the dentist will adjust it to work smoothly.

Adjusting to Your New Dentures

While your mouth may ache when you first get dentures, this symptom is normal – you’ll need time to adjust to your new teeth. Once you’ve had your prosthetics for a few weeks, they’ll feel more familiar and won’t cause pain; they should seem as natural as your other teeth.

Despite the above, speeding up the adjustment is something you can do. One good approach would be exercising your facial muscles, making them strong enough to handle dentures. Other notable methods are eating soft foods to avoid pain or using adhesives. Through either of these actions, you’d adjust to dentures even sooner.

Whatever you do, please call us if your denture pain persists. Your new appliances may need further alteration.

Partial Dentures

Are only some of your teeth missing? If so, oftentimes, you can replace them with a partial denture. The base of the denture will be designed to match your gum tissue, and a specific number of replacement teeth will be attached based on your needs.

Full Dentures

Like a partial denture, a full denture has a gum-colored base. However, it also includes a full set of artificial teeth and can be used to replace either your upper or lower arch. As long as your denture is properly fitted, you can expect it to stay in place with natural suction (although denture adhesive can also help).

Implant Dentures

Certain patients may be able to get dentures supported by dental implants. This can prevent your replacement teeth from moving around, and it makes it possible to enjoy more kinds of foods. Additionally, dental implants can prevent bone loss by stimulating the jaw.

Psychological Benefits

Tooth loss can often cause a strain on your mental health, lowering your self-esteem and body image. The condition may even prompt you to withdraw from your social life. Should that happen, you’ll be at greater risk of sadness and major depressive disorder.

Of course, dentures can prevent (or reverse) this drop in mood. Their ability to “fill” your smile’s gaps should boost your confidence and help you feel self-assured. From there, you’ll be less anxious as you chat with peers – no need to worry about your looks or speech.

Clearer Enunciation

Speaking of speech, your tongue relies on teeth to position itself and enunciate. Losing even one tooth would affect this process and make some words hard to say. Rather than clear words, trying to talk could lead to a lisp, slurred speech, etc.

The good news is that dentures would let you speak clearly. Because they’d replace your natural teeth, the devices would allow your tongue to form words. Just note that you’ll still need to practice with them first; learning to talk with dentures takes time!

Improves Nutrition

If you lose teeth, you’re more likely to have a poor diet. A less-than-full smile will struggle to chew tough foods, tempting you to give up nutritious meals. That could trigger an increased risk of malnutrition and indigestion.

Still, dentures can handily solve this problem. Their artificial teeth can chew tough food like natural ones, expanding your meal choices as a result. You’d then see big improvements in your nutritional health.

Preserves Oral Health

Tooth loss can cause major problems to your oral health (unless treated quickly). Over time, the “smile gaps” it causes will tilt your other teeth until they fall out. Those spaces would also pressure the rest of your grin, leading to more wear and tear.

Even so, you can trust dentures to preserve your oral health. They “fill” smile gaps well enough to slow the rate at which your other teeth tilt. Plus, each can bear some of the weight of chewing and reduce the wear on your smile.

Expands Opportunities

With few exceptions, folks notice your smile before your other traits. This fact makes a gorgeous grin crucial to making a good first impression. When you can flash a pretty smile, people will think well of you and offer opportunities – friendships, career success, etc.

Rest assured, dentures will make your smile quite beautiful. They use materials that blend seamlessly with your mouth, so the devices look natural and lifelike. That means they’ll make your grin look stunning enough to inspire goodwill, leading to many opportunities.

Removable Dentures

Remove & Rinse Them After Eating

Both full and partial dentures will help you eat more of your favorite foods, but after you eat, it’s best to remove them and give them a good rinse before putting them back in your mouth. Be sure to only use cool or room temperature water because using hot water could warp their shape and fit.  These routine rinses will help prevent bacteria and debris from building up underneath and on your prosthetic.

Brush Them Twice a Day

Just like with your natural teeth, you’ll want to clean your dentures at least twice a day. To do this, use either a soft-bristled or special denture cleaning toothbrush and denture cleanser. Brushing them regularly will help reduce your risk of developing common oral health conditions, like thrush, gum disease, or additional tooth loss.

Store Them in a Safe Place

For full dentures, you should store them in a glass of room temperature water either up high or behind a cabinet to make sure they’re safe. You would be surprised how many people’s dentures get ruined by kids roughhousing or their pets! For partial dentures, they should be stored in a hard protective case that they came with so they don’t get damaged or lost.

Remove Them Before You Go to Sleep

Each night before you go to bed, you’ll need to remove your dentures to give your gums a chance to rest and recover after supporting them all day. This will help prevent oral sores from developing as well as discomfort. It’s also the perfect opportunity to clean them.

All-on-4 Dentures

All-on-4 dentures are permanently secured to dental implants that are surgically placed into the jawbone. As such, they function more like natural teeth, and many of the tips above don’t apply to them. While you won’t take them out of your mouth ever, it’s still important to floss once a day, brush twice a day, rinse with antimicrobial mouthwash daily, and visit your dentist in Mineola every six months for routine cleanings.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Dentures

Several different factors will determine the cost of getting dentures, but it’s important to keep in mind that every situation is different. Our team will provide you with a detailed estimate of your treatment at your consultation, so you know exactly what to expect. In the meantime, here are some key details that can influence the price:

• Any preliminary treatments or preparatory procedures you may need, like a tooth extraction or gum disease therapy.
• How many teeth you’re missing will determine whether you require a full or partial denture.
• Whether you opt to have your prosthetic anchored to dental implants or not.
• The materials your denture is crafted from.

Are Implant Dentures More Expensive?

While it’s true that implant dentures in Mineola have a higher upfront cost than traditional ones, they are a wonderful long-term investment that will pay for themselves. By anchoring your prosthetic to these titanium posts, you’re able to enjoy unmatched stability and support, as well as a longer lifespan of up to 35 years or more with good maintenance. This means fewer visits to the dentist for adjustments and replacements and fewer dental bills.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dentures?

While every dental insurance plan can vary, many benefits cover at least a portion of the cost of restorative procedures, including dentures. Our team at Meadowbrook Dental Care will help maximize your benefits by filing claims on your behalf. We welcome both in and out-of-network plans and will do whatever we can to cut down on out-of-pocket expenses.

Other Options for Making Dentures More Affordable

In addition to accepting dental insurance, we also offer several other ways to receive discounts and flexible payment alternatives for your treatment, including:

• Our Dental Savings Plan: If you’re uninsured, we invite you to consider our easy-to-use in-house Dental Savings Plan. At just $34 a month for adults, both of your cleanings and checkups, as well as any X-rays will be completely covered for the year. You’ll also receive 10 percent off both basic and more major services, like dentures.
• Additional Third-Party Financing: If you are uninsured or underinsured, we also offer financing through several trusted third parties, including CareCredit, Sunbit, Proceed, and Cherry.

If you would like to take advantage of either of these options, please contact our team today to learn more.