If you have missing teeth, you’re probably self-conscious about them. Our tooth loss patients say they habitually cover their smile to hide their missing teeth, afraid that others will see only the gaps in their smile instead of a happy grin.
But you don’t have to hide anymore. Today’s dentistry offers a world of false teeth options, each specifically designed to suit your needs. So whether you need full dental implants or you just want to replace a few missing teeth, today’s dentures allow you to stop hiding and restore your radiant smile.
Why patients choose dentures
For most patients, the decision to wear dentures is deeply personal. There may be many contributing factors in their decision, but most agree that it’s empowering to replace missing teeth with a solution that suits their needs and lifestyle.
Aesthetics
Our patients often cite aesthetics as the main reason they choose to replace missing teeth with dentures. They’re worried about the holes in their smile, and they’re conscious that missing teeth reflects poorly on their oral health, making even their healthy teeth seem neglected.
Functionality
There are practical reasons to wear dentures, too. Depending on the location of the teeth you’re missing, you might find it hard to speak or chew.
Replacing missing teeth with either partial or complete dentures can offer better comfort while you’re eating and speaking, and greater confidence that they’ll stay in place when you need them to.
Full vs partial dentures
Today’s denture patients have great options to choose from for masking tooth loss without losing more teeth.
Partial dentures
If your remaining teeth are in good health, it makes sense to keep them. Partial dentures let you work with the natural teeth you still have and build around them.
Partial dentures are created as exact replicas of your missing teeth. They look and feel like the real thing, and they’re kept in place by anchoring them to your healthy teeth. This helps keep them stable while you’re eating or speaking.
Full dentures
For patients with whole-mouth tooth loss, complete dentures are the way to go. You get a new set of natural-looking teeth — perfectly fitted to your mouth — that are easy to remove and clean.
But for many patients, a partial denture is perfect. We always recommend saving and supporting your remaining teeth where possible. A complete set of false teeth are a good option when your natural teeth can’t be saved.
Dentures materials
Dentures come in a variety of materials, and each one has different costs and benefits. Choosing the right type of denture is a decision best made in conversation with your dental technician or dentist, but it helps to know a bit about each type before you decide.
Metal-based dentures
Today’s chrome-based metal dentures are thin and strong. They don’t need to cover the entire roof of your mouth, so they’re quite comfortable and don’t affect the taste of food. They’re coloured to match your teeth and gums, so they’re more discreet.
Plus, metal-based dentures are removable. They lock into your existing teeth to keep them secure while they’re in your mouth, and you can tug them out gently to clean them.
Flexible dentures
Flexible dentures are soft and move with your mouth. They sit snugly against your gums and existing teeth, and they’re designed to stick in place when you’re eating and chewing.
They’re easy to remove and clean, and they’re less likely to break than metal and acrylic dentures. Most patients find them surprisingly comfortable, and they’re a great option if you have sensitive gums.
Fixed dentures
Most dentures are removable. Regular fittings help them remain stable in your mouth, and your dentist may recommend a denture adhesive can help keep them from shifting. If you have a partial denture, it’s anchored to your healthy teeth to keep it in place.
But sometimes, attaching removable false teeth to healthy ones can cause damage. To avoid that, dentists often recommend one of the three options below.
Implant retained dentures
Implant retained dentures are still removable, but the dentures are fixed to dental implants rather than your existing teeth. A dental implant is a small, threaded post that’s been surgically placed in your jawbone to replace your missing tooth roots.
The implant retained dentures are sometimes called “snap-in dentures” because they click into the implant. They stay firmly in place without needing glue or any other type of denture fixative.
Implant supported dentures
Implant support dentures are, by contrast, permanently anchored to dental implants — only your dentist can remove them. They’re brilliant for staying put, but they’re more difficult to clean. You’ll even have to floss underneath the dental structure.
Precision-attached dentures
Precision-attached dentures are a clever variation on traditional dentures. These partial dentures are anchored to teeth that have been crowned. A groove in the crown holds onto an attachment on the denture, effectively locking the denture into place and preventing rocking.
Love-Teeth is lucky to have Dr. Leo Klein on board to lead our precision-attached procedures. It’s standard practice in Germany, and Dr. Klein spent years there learning the craft, so he’s a bona fide expert.
How to choose the right dentures
With dentures, fit is everything! Dentures need to fit your mouth, your lifestyle, and your pocketbook. Your dentist will chat with you about your dentures options, and take you through the choices to help you decide on the right fit for you.
Cost
A big question for our patients is how much dentures cost. And we’re happy to say that for most patients, the cost of dentures is manageable.
Partial dentures tend to cost between £250 and £500, while complete dentures start at £1500. It’s not exactly pocket change, but it’s a reasonable investment in a tool that affects your nutrition, mental health, social interactions, and oral health on a daily basis.
Dental implants or a dental bridge
A good set of dentures, cleaned regularly and fitted properly, will last about 10 years. If you’re looking for a truly permanent solution, dental bridges or implants might be the right choice.
Implants offer the distinct advantage of stimulating the nerves in your jaw bone. By mimicking your natural teeth roots, they tell your brain you still have teeth, so your body continues to send nutrients to your jaw. Without those nutrients, you’re at risk of bone loss that causes a sunken-looking jaw area.
A dental bridge works well when you still have several healthy teeth — especially if you’re only replacing one tooth, or up to three in a row.
With a bridge, your dentist will create crowns with artificial teeth in between. They then bond the crown to your natural teeth on either side of the gap, cementing them in place and creating a bridge of artificial teeth that completes your smile.
Don’t hide your happy face!
If you’re ready to talk about having your missing teeth replaced, book an appointment!
We’ll talk about all of your options and find the solution that puts a smile on your face. Book today!
