Denture

For patients with missing teeth, dentures provide a flexible and inexpensive solution. A removable dental appliance, dentures consist of either a full or partial set of replacement teeth, depending on each patient's needs.

As the illustration shows above, the dentures will rest on top of the gums to help return the patient's mouth to normal chewing function.

Our dentists can fabricate dentures that have natural-looking porcelain teeth or less-expensive plastic teeth. Either way, dentures will restore chewing function, enable patients to speak with greater ease, and produce a more aesthetically pleasing smile.

Advantages of considering dentures

Dentures definitely provide a great smile with a very natural appearance. They're made of very durable materials and last very long when properly taken care of. Typically dentures last from five to ten years. They also correct several problems, from speech to chewing, for many patients.

Disadvantages of having dentures

There's no doubt that dentures take a little getting used to. There is maintenance involved, and initial speech issues to overcome (these are temporary and last only a couple of days). Mouth irritation or sores may occur, but are usually caused by poor dental hygiene, and not removing your dentures when needed. It is common that your mouth change over the life of your dentures, so even though they last long, they may need to be replaced to achieve a better fit before they are worn out. With a denture a person typically chews at only 15-23% efficiency compared to a person chewing with their natural teeth. In the case of a full upper denture, the upper palate is covered which can reduce taste of foods you're chewing.