All about Dentures

This article seeks to inform people of important aspects of dentures and the positive and negative side effects that come along with them.

As a kid some people remember their grandparents playing with their teeth or watched them take them out completely. With age, those kids learned that these are called dentures, a removable replacement for missing teeth.

A lot of people in the local area can avoid needing dentures in Arizona, but for those who do it is important to know how they function.

How they are made

The first thing a dentist will do is take impressions of the jaw to get the spacing right for the dentures to fit properly. Once they have an impression a mold will be made, such as the one in the picture above.

This mold will need to be tried on a few times to check for fit, shape, and possibly color. Once you and the dentist agree the final cast will be made allowing for adjustments just as needed.

Types of Dentures

There are different kinds of dentures available in Sun City dentistry. You will either need a partial or complete set.  Based on how many teeth are lost or need to be removed will clarify this decision for you.

People lose teeth from gum disease which affects the roots of the teeth and causes decay. If all of the teeth have been removed a complete denture can be worn 12 weeks after. A partial set can be placed almost immediately.

Partial Dentures

Partial dentures are more similar to a style of an implant in that it prevents the other teeth from shifting. These partial dentures have to be cemented in place in order to be effective. It is usually still removable and has internal adjustments instead of clasps.

Complete Dentures

There are two styles of complete dentures, immediate and conventional.  Conventional are the better option. This style isn’t placed until the 12 weeks after mark to accommodate the shifting of the gums as it heals from tooth removal.

Immediate dentures allow the patient to not go without teeth, but these will need to be adjusted and refitted throughout the healing process. It is recommended to use these as temporary dentures.

Problems

Most dentures rub against to gums and cause irritation and excessive discomfort. They are removable and don’t always stay in place especially when eating. This limits the foods available for denture patients to eat.

If the denture isn’t fixed in place it allows the jaw bone to shift and deforms the natural shape of the face over time. They also need to be replaced every few years at the patient’s expense because durability is an issue.

Price

They start at around $300 for a partial set and can get as expensive as $4,000 for a premium full set (approx.). Most insurances cover most to all of the cost so it’s a good idea to look into your options.

If money isn’t an issue dental implants might be an even better option to consider. This option just allows for less hassle and a one-time cost verses needing adjustments every few years.

Dentures can cause different problems but it is a relatively cheap solution to missing teeth. Talking to the dentist about your options is a great place to start.

Brushing Your Teeth the Correct Way

This article will discuss the differences between dental implants and dentures.

For a long time now dentures have provided the best and perhaps only solution to tooth loss.  With technological advancements it is no longer the only option.  Dental implants have gotten a lot of attention lately and will continue to do so.

So how do you choose what the best option for you is?  Comparing the pros and cons side by side is the easiest way to weigh those options and choose.

Long Lasting

One of the first factors to consider is how long you will need the replacements.  It you are younger or middle aged then there is a good chance you’re going to need something that will last as long as teeth normally do.

Dental implants are proven to last a lifetime in most cases.  With the proper care they last as long as a set of normal teeth.  Dentures however do not last as long.  Dentures usually get replaced every five to eight years and that it with the extra proper care.

Secured

A major concern for some people is how secure the option is within their mouth.  If eating all of the same foods without having to worry about the replacements falling out then you want dental implants.

Implants are secured down into the jaw bone making the replacement just as strong as natural teeth and allowing for optimal food enjoyment. Dentures are placed into the mouth and can be secured down with adhesives like paste or wafers.  These options however don’t always hold when chewing and may taste bad.

Problems

Dentures don’t prevent all of the cosmetic and medical problems that occur with tooth loss.  Jaw disfigurement and bone recession are two of the largest concerns for people without teeth.  Wearing dentures doesn’t inhibit these problems and adds the inconvenience of sores and inflammation in the mouth

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Dental Implants are a solution to the above problems.  In the long run the cost of dental implants might out weight the cost associated with fixing or managing jaw recession.  Other than the one short surgery and mostly painless recover there are no other problems associated with dental implants.

Cost

Cost will vary depending on the dentist and location.  In Arizona dentures are much cheaper than dental implants like most of the country.  The price varies upon the quality of the dentures but most of them cause the same problems.  Keep in mind that this is a cost of upkeep for every 5 to 8 years.

Dental implants are more expensive mostly because of the surgery required and the quality of work. Another factor to consider is that most insurance companies don’t cover implants the majority of the time, but it’s always worth checking in to.  Implants are usually a one-time cost and usually don’t require replacements. There is always a lot to consider when making a choice about your health and hopefully there is enough information out there to help you make that lifelong decision.

Dental Myths Busted by Teeth Implants Specialists in Arizona, PART 1

This four-part article series sets about explaining and dispelling the many common myths and misconceptions surrounding oral health and hygiene and certain dental procedures.

When it comes to your teeth, oral health and the various dental procedures out there, people are full of opinions, old wives’ tales and misconceptions. Some are harmless and even quite humorous; for example, it was believed that tying a frog to your jaw would firm up loose teeth. Granted, this belief is archaic and has long since faded. But there are other myths and misconceptions about oral health that are actually dangerous, because they perpetuate ignorance and a fear of dentists and dental treatment. So, we sat down with some teeth implants specialists in Arizona and spoke to them about the dental myths they most want to see busted. What they had to say is presented to you in this four-part article series.

Dental Myth # 1: If you’ve got toothache, put an aspirin next to it to kill the pain.

The Facts: “Aspirin’s pharmaceutical action is to cease the production of prostaglandins, which function as pain transmitters,” explain denture specialists in Arizona. “In other words, they let your brain know which part of your body is hurting and how badly. However, the aspirin itself must first be absorbed into the bloodstream and the best and most effective way to achieve this is by ingesting it orally.”

Placing aspirin next to your tooth is not going to render it less painful. In fact, you could do serious damage. Aspirin is quite acidic and this could cause the adjacent soft tissues to become irritated and inflamed. Worse still, it could cause corrosion of your dental enamel, which could end up in further sensitivity, pain and the formation of cavities.

The Solution: “If you’ve got a persistent toothache, there is an underlying problem that needs to be treated,” explain teeth implants specialists in Arizona. “Since the tooth is a closed structure (encased by hard enamel) the chances of it healing on its own are very slim, so you should book an appointment with your dentist right away. Swallowing pain medication will only treat the symptoms. If you ignore tooth pain, you could end up losing the tooth.”

Dental Myth # 2: You shouldn’t brush your teeth if your gums bleed. You certainly shouldn’t floss!

The Facts: It’s understandable that you wouldn’t want to stress your gums by brushing or flossing them if they have been bleeding, but unlike torn skin, which one would put a Band-Aid over and leave to heal; the complete opposite is true of your gums. In order to understand this, you have to appreciate why gums bleed in the first place.

“Gums tear easily and bleed when they’ve become weakened by infection,” explain denture specialists in Arizona. “If you don’t brush and floss frequently and/or thoroughly enough, bacteria and food debris build up between your teeth and just below the gum line. This irritates the gums, causing them to become inflamed and infected, resulting in a condition we refer to as gingivitis. The compromised tissue tears and bleeds more easily.”

This explains why not brushing and flossing makes your problem so much worse!

The Solution: If your gums are bleeding when you brush them, you may very well have a bacterial infection. You will need to increase the frequency and duration for which you brush on a daily basis, as well as start flossing in the evening. You may also want to incorporate an anti-bacterial mouthwash into your daily hygiene routine. If it’s been more than a year since you’ve been to the dentist and oral hygienist, get booking!

Stay Tuned...

To read more dental myths and misconceptions join us next week for the second installment of this four-part article series, courtesy of teeth implants specialists in Arizona.

The Sun City Dentist Reveals Nine Shocking Facts About Dentures, PART 2

This two part article series presents some pretty disturbing facts about the toll removable dentures or false teeth take on your oral health and quality of life.

Dentures in Arizona have long been the teeth replacement technology of choice. But since the design and perfection of sophisticated dental implant protocols for fixed oral rehabilitation, patients no longer have to consign their life to the challenges, difficulties and expenses associated with this very archaic technology, says the Sun City dentist. In our previous article post, we discussed four shocking facts about dentures in Arizona. The take-home messages were:

• Dentures require refitting and replacement every few years or so.
• They do not support a healthy jaw bone, says the Sun City dentist.
• For every year that a patient wears dentures in Arizona, they lose valuable bone volume in the jaw.
• Half of all the patients that wear dentures in Arizona prefer to eat without them because they cause so much discomfort and pain.
• Partial dentures do incredible damage to the natural teeth used to support them, says the Sun City dentist.

In this article, the final installment of this two-part series, the Sun City dentist shall look at five more shocking facts about dentures in Arizona.



FACT # 5: A mouth full of natural teeth can bite down with a force of about 200 pounds per square inch, says the Sun City dentist. That’s how you can tuck into that steak, chips and crispy salad without struggling. Denture-wearers, on the other hand, can only bite down with a force of 50 pounds per square inch and this reduces their bite functionality by a shocking 75%. But the very worst of it is that patients who have been wearing dentures in Arizona for more than 15 years only have a bite force of 6 pounds. Essentially, these poor people’s bite functionality has been reduced by a staggering 97%, says the Sun City dentist. How is this possible? Dentures in Arizona do not promote the health of the underlying jaw bone and its resultant atrophication and remodeling greatly reduce a patient’s ability to eat properly.

FACT # 6: Most dentures shift around uncomfortably when you eat, no matter how well they are made to fit, says the Sun City dentist. It is just an unfortunate problem and challenge that patients have to become accustomed to.

FACT # 7: As a direct result of the difficulties and challenges caused by eating, most denture wearers have a lesser nutritional intake, with 30% of them only being able to manage soft and highly processed foods. In fact, says the Sun City dentist, many elderly denture-wearers suffer from malnutrition! This has a tremendous impact upon one’s quality of life and can even decrease your lifespan by a shocking 10 years.

FACT # 8: Dental implants used to replace single missing teeth have a fantastic success rate of 98% and do absolutely no damage to the nature adjacent teeth, says the Sun City dentist.

FACT # 9: Dental implants can be used to support a fully customized prosthetic dental bridge or denture, says the Sun City dentist. This procedure for fixed oral rehabilitation has a 95% success rate over a full ten-year period. The use of dental implants slows the loss of bone tissue in the jaw, making it a much more favorable teeth replacement solution than dentures in Arizona.



A Final Note from the Sun City Dentist

It was the point of this series to highlight the importance of opting for better and more sophisticated teeth replacement solutions rather than following in your parents’ and grandparents’ footsteps. Qualified and experienced Sun City dentists recommend dental implants time and again, even if you have lost all of your original adult teeth to dental decay and periodontal (gum) disease.

Nine Shocking Facts About Dentures in Arizona, PART 1

This two part article series presents some pretty disturbing facts about the toll removable dentures or false teeth take on your oral health and quality of life.

Dentures in Arizona have long been the solution to edentulism (not having a single original adult tooth left) and near-edentulism. Perhaps you consider dentures in Arizona to be the future of your oral health because your parents and your grandparents wore them. However, with the sophistication of modern dental implant procedures and their ability to treat edentulism, more and more people are opting for fixed oral rehabilitation, explains the Sun City dentist. And this is for a very good reason: the benefits and advantages of dental implants over dentures in Arizona are as numerous as they are diverse. If you currently wear dentures or are thinking about getting dentures in Arizona, then stop and consider the advantages of dental implants instead. Here are nine shocking facts about dentures; facts that will have you reconsidering your decision to consign yourself to a life of acute discomfort, endless challenges and repeat expenses.

Fact # 1: After a period of five years, only 40% of patients are still wearing their original dentures in Arizona. The other 60% have had to have broken, ill-fitting and functionally impaired dentures refitted or thrown away and replaced entirely. What does this say about utility and value? Not much, says the Sun City dentist.

Fact # 2: Half of all denture-wearers say that they actually eat better and more comfortably without their false teeth. This highlights massive problems with this archaic technology, says the Sun City dentist. Dentures in Arizona are supposed to help patients who don’t have any or most of their teeth to eat with a degree of comfort and confidence. Clearly the mark is being missed if 50% of edentulous patients would rather remove their teeth for mealtime!

Fact # 3: Dentures in Arizona (full and partials) do not support a healthy jaw bone. Instead of transmitting the stimulating forces associated with eating into the jaw bone, as is the case with natural teeth or dental implants, it gets directed into the gums underlying the denture. This not only causes irritation and inflammation of the soft tissue, as well as the development of sores, but it means that the jaw bone is going without the ‘exercise’ it needs to remain alive and healthy, explains the Sun City dentist. The result is atrophy and the loss of hard tissue in the bone. The remodeling of the jaw bone is what causes dentures in Arizona to become increasingly difficult to eat with over the years. It’s what necessitates refitting every few years or so and ultimately, makes any teeth replacement solution or treatment very difficult and even doubtful.

Fact # 4: A scientific study conducted on the effects of partial dentures in Arizona revealed that 40% of the natural healthy teeth used to support partials had been lost to fracture damage and decay after a period of 8 years. In other words, explains the Sun City dentist, getting partial dentures fitted can literally be the end of the road for your remaining teeth!

Dentures in Arizona: Stay Tuned

Stay tuned for the second installment of this two-part article series if you want to find out more shocking facts about dentures in Arizona.