The impact of tooth loss is felt on multiple fronts. Beyond the change to your appearance, missing teeth can also affect your quality of life. Fortunately, you can say goodbye to the gaps in your smile via tooth replacement with dentures in Jacksonville. At Carlson Dental Group, we offer high-quality and affordable dentures so you can enjoy a complete, fully functional set of teeth again without breaking the bank. If you’d like to learn more about this tooth-replacement solution, continue reading or schedule a consultation with our team today!
Truthfully, almost any person missing several, most, or all their teeth is a viable candidate for dentures. During your consultation, we’ll conduct a thorough oral examination to determine whether this solution is right for you. If you have any preexisting oral health issues like tooth decay or gum disease, you’ll need to have them addressed before you can move forward with the process of getting dentures. Your mouth must be in optimal condition to support your new prosthetics!
During your initial consultation, your dentist in Jacksonville will evaluate your needs and recommend one of the following options:
If you only have a few missing teeth, partials may be a good option to consider. They replace teeth that are on opposite sides of your mouth and keep the existing teeth from shifting around. Partial dentures are custom-made to fit your mouth perfectly and seamlessly complete your smile. They’re attached to your remaining natural teeth with clasps.
Full dentures are ideal for patients missing an entire arch of teeth. They’re designed using a gum-colored base and enamel-colored replacement teeth for a more natural appearance. Unlike partials, they’re held in place using natural suction or denture adhesive.
If you want a smile that’s long-lasting and as stable as possible, you should consider getting implant dentures. The prosthetic is attached to titanium dental implants that are surgically inserted into the jawbone. Once fully healed, you’ll be able to enjoy unmatched chewing and functionality. Plus, your new-and-improved grin can last several decades if properly cared for!
By choosing to get dentures, you will enjoy several benefits including:
We understand the toll that tooth loss can take on both your physical and mental wellbeing; fortunately, dentures in Jacksonville can help! We want to be as supportive as possible throughout this process, as we know the importance of having a healthy, beautiful, and functional smile. We’ve gathered a few of the most frequently asked questions that we receive about dentures along with their respective answers so that you can feel positive about restoring your smile and confidence. If you have any other questions or would like to arrange a consultation, feel free to give us a call!
Simply put, tooth loss usually qualifies you for dentures, but depending on your individual situation, there are primarily three different types of dentures: partial dentures, full dentures, and implant dentures. Partials are preferable for patients who still have most of their teeth but only need a few replaced. Full dentures are recommended if you’ve lost all of your teeth, or if you don’t have enough natural teeth remaining that are worth salvaging. And implant dentures rely on posts that are surgically embedded into your jawbone to support the new prosthetics. The only way to accurately determine which type of denture is suitable for your smile is by having us closely inspect your situation.
If you end up needing teeth extracted prior to receiving dentures, you’ll likely experience some discomfort following the surgery. This can be addressed by taking your prescribed and over-the-counter pain medication as directed, and you should begin feeling better after a few days. It’s also not uncommon to experience mild soreness after receiving dentures, as your body will need to go through an adjustment period (usually a few weeks, but it varies from person to person). If the pain continues to persist, you should contact us as soon as possible—the dentures might not have been fitted properly, or there might be an underlying oral health issue that needs to be treated.
Even though they effectively restore your lost pearly whites, dentures are also accompanied by certain dietary restrictions. Sticky foods like peanut butter and certain types of candy can pull your dentures out of place, making chewing difficult but also allowing food particles to become trapped under the dentures and irritating your gums. Some foods also contain small pieces that dentures cannot chew easily—things like popcorn, shelled nuts, and even the seeds on certain types of bread can be problematic. Tough meats like steak and pork chops also require an excessive amount of chewing, and that can put a lot of stress on both your dentures and your gums.
We strongly advise against sleeping while wearing your dentures. Even though you can technically sleep with them in, we recommend taking them out before bedtime in order to give your gum tissue and jaw a chance to rest after supporting them throughout the day. This habit encourages healthy blood flow in your gums, which is vital for their wellness. Not to mention, removing your dentures before bedtime also gives you the perfect opportunity to soak them in a cleaning solution or water, which will keep them clean and moist so that they don’t become disfigured.