Smile With Confidence
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Dentures are a set of removable artificial teeth and gums used to replace missing teeth, restore their function, fill in gaps in the mouth, and restore support to the face. We offer both partial and full dentures to fit every patient’s needs in Colorado Springs.
Partial dentures are used to replace one or a few missing teeth, and clip onto metal clasps that are placed in the abutment teeth. Full dentures replace an entire arch or both arches of teeth and necessitate the extraction of a person’s remaining natural teeth.
Dentures are fabricated using impressions of your mouth so they conform to your gums and jaw comfortably. Over time, your facial structure may change due to bone loss and you will need to have your dentures replaced, relined, or rebased.
Dentures make life easier and more comfortable for patients suffering from tooth loss. Chewing and speaking are more difficult with fewer teeth and noticeable gaps can make one insecure about their smile. Dentures are removable which makes them easy to clean and maintain. Patients no longer have to worry about chewing or speaking clearly and feel more confident once they have a natural-looking smile.
A consequence of bone loss is changes in the facial structure, such as premature facial sagging. Dentures help to add support to the facial muscles to reduce sagging. Because dentures are made to conform to your mouth, they are very comfortable and even prevent oral health issues such as gum disease by replacing missing teeth in the mouth.
The process begins with a consultation with one of our Colorado Springs dentists. After performing an oral exam and taking x-rays, we can tell you if you’re a suitable candidate for dentures. Patients receiving full dentures will need to have their teeth extracted first. We'll then take impressions of your mouth and measurements of how your upper and lower jaw fit together. This info is sent to the dental lab that will fabricate your dentures. A temporary immediate denture will be placed to replace the missing teeth until the gums have fully healed in 8-12 weeks.
Once we have the first set of dentures available, you will return to our Colorado Springs dental practice for a trial fitting. At this appointment, you will take note of how the dentures look and feel. We can make adjustments if they are not quite right yet. Once the fit has been perfected, we will have one final fitting and you will go home with your permanent dentures.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel 100% comfortable with your dentures at first. It takes an average of 30 days to get used to them. In the meantime, it’s common to experience excess saliva production, to sound louder than normal, have difficulty pronouncing certain sounds, and for your gums to feel sore.
Practice speaking with your dentures. Read tongue twisters or sing a song. Try swallowing more or sucking on hard candy to help with excess saliva. The soreness will go down within a few weeks but in the meantime, you can take anti-inflammatory pain medication and take your dentures out for a few hours to get some relief.
However, you want to try to wear your dentures as much as possible and then take them out at night. You will sound louder than normal because the dentures have altered how sound travels through your mouth. You will get used to this and it sounds much louder to you than it does to anyone else.
If you’re interested in partial or full dentures, contact us at Alliance Family Dentistry today to schedule a consultation with a Colorado Springs dentist.
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