Removable Dentures in Cave Creek AZ

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Types of Dentures Offered

Overdentures: Overdentures, also known as implant-retained dentures, are a type of removable dental prosthesis designed to provide increased stability and retention compared to traditional removable dentures. They are typically used in cases where a patient has few remaining natural teeth or when existing dentures are not secure enough.

Overdentures are anchored to dental implants surgically placed in the jawbone, either in the upper or lower arch. These implants serve as stable attachment points for the overdenture, preventing slippage, reducing discomfort, and improving chewing efficiency. Overdentures offer a more secure and comfortable alternative for individuals with extensive tooth loss, significantly enhancing their quality of life and oral function.

Partial Dentures: As recommended by our dentist in Cave Creek, AZ, partial dentures are custom-designed dental prosthetics used to replace one or more missing teeth in a patient's mouth. These removable appliances consist of a framework that attaches to existing natural teeth or dental crowns, with artificial teeth attached to fill the gaps caused by missing ones.

Partial dentures are carefully crafted to match the patient's natural teeth in color, shape, and alignment, ensuring a seamless and aesthetically pleasing appearance. They restore oral function by not only improving chewing and speaking but also helping maintain proper tooth alignment and prevent adjacent teeth from shifting. Dentists often recommend partial dentures as an effective and non-invasive solution for patients with limited tooth loss, offering them a functional and comfortable way to regain a complete smile.

Complete Dentures: Complete dentures are removable dental appliances designed to replace the whole upper or lower arch of a patient's teeth. These custom-crafted prosthetics consist of a gum-colored acrylic base designed to sit on the patient's gums and support a complete set of artificial teeth carefully designed to match the patient's natural teeth in appearance and function.

Our dentist in Cave Creek, AZ, recommends full dentures for individuals who have lost all their natural teeth due to extensive decay, gum disease, or injury. These dentures restore a patient's ability to eat, speak, and smile and provide vital support for facial muscles, helping to maintain facial structure and aesthetics.

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How Will My Mouth Feel With Dentures

As with anything we use on a regular basis such as spectacles or braces, there will be an adjustment period with dentures where they will feel strange and foreign. You may feel like you have a “full mouth.” There may be a hyperawareness of your lips being pushed forward; you may even feel like your teeth are too big and taking up too much space in your mouth. Your mouth, sensing that there is something inside, will likely mistake this to mean there is food present, and you may salivate more at first.

These feelings will eventually subside after about 14 days as your mouth adjusts to the new dentures. During this initial adjustment period, you may be advised to wear the dentures all the time, only taking them out for cleaning. Once the adjustment period is over, your dentist will consult with you on an appropriate time to remove your dentures for long periods of time to give your gums a rest. Normally this would be at night when it’s time to sleep.

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Will Dentures Affect My Speech

If you’ve ever had the experience of wearing braces, then you know there was also an adjustment period where your speech patterns were affected. So, the answer here is “yes, at first.” The most likely phonetics to be affected at first will be “S,” “Sh,” “Th” and “Ch” sounds. This is because your tongue is now in a slightly different position from what you are used to. There may also be a new whistling or hissing sound that accompanies your speech.

Regular speaking will eventually retrain you to regain proper pronunciation of words. However, if you’d like to speed up this process, then either read out loud to yourself for a few days or be aggressive about a conversation in the initial days after you receive your dentures. You will eventually adjust to the differences, compensate, and speak normally.

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How Will Dentures Affect Eating

In most cases, dentures will ultimately not affect your eating habits, but some retraining will be required. Some people adjust to eating with dentures after a few weeks. Others may take up to six months to feel comfortable. However, any food that requires hard biting down with the front teeth, such as corn on the cob, or an apple may always present some challenges.

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As with any new addition to your daily living habits, practice will eventually lead to comfort and mastery of your new dentures. But if you have any specific questions or concerns about their use and care, you should always refer them to your dentist and get some reliable, professional advice. Contact our team at Pro-Dental Care today for more information.