Complete dentures are a highly customized dental treatment used to replace all the teeth in your dental arch. They are comprised of a set of natural-looking teeth that are placed in a sturdy base that looks like gum tissue. Patients in Dunedin, Florida, who have lost most or all their teeth can count on Drs. Ryan Lepore and Erin Dougherty at Lepore Comprehensive Dentistry to restore their smile with a gentle, nonjudgmental approach to dental care.
What to expect with complete dentures
Depending on your specific needs, you may choose to have removable dentures made, or dental implants can be strategically placed in your mouth to provide extra support and stability for your dentures. Complete dentures can be an excellent option for patients as:
- They allow you to bite and chew your food again
- They can help rebuild your sense of self-confidence so you feel comfortable smiling and speaking with others
- They fill in your cheeks to restore your natural facial appearance, which can become ‘sunken’ looking if many teeth are missing
- Today’s modern dental technologies enable us to give you natural-looking, comfortable dentures within a relatively short amount of time
The denture placement process varies from patient to patient, depending on several factors. It is important to note that several appointments are needed to ensure a well-fitting removable complete denture. Dr. Lepore, Dr. Dougherty, and their team will go over each step, customizing your unique needs. Some patients choose to have their dentures created and inserted after their mouth has had a chance to heal from any extractions or other surgical procedures. The benefit of this approach is that your dentures will better fit your mouth and require fewer adjustments over time, as your dental arch and tissues will have stabilized by the time the dentures are placed. Other patients choose to have their dentures made in advance of their extractions so that they can be placed on the same day their teeth are extracted.
When we do this, it is called “immediate” dentures. The primary benefit of this approach is that you don’t have to go for any period without teeth, but they typically require several adjustments over time as your mouth heals from the extractions. They may require fabricating another set of long-term dentures after proper healing and the team of Drs. Lepore and Dougherty will go over which option may work best for you.
For patients requiring replacement of all teeth in the upper and/or lower arch of the mouth, removable dentures are an excellent treatment option. They provide improved aesthetics by replacing the missing teeth in the mouth and improved overall function for eating and speech. It will typically take multiple appointments for your doctor to design and fit a set of removable dentures for you. Removable dentures are a prosthesis placed in the mouth containing replacement teeth, typically mounted on a base made of a pink, gum-colored resin formed to an exact fit over your existing gums. They are designed to be removable without the assistance of a dental professional. The process of creating the dentures begins with your doctor taking several impressions of your gums. These impressions are then sent to a laboratory where an expert technician builds a model of your mouth. The lab then works closely with your doctor to design your prosthesis using the model as a base. As each phase of the design is completed, your doctor will meet with you to check for proper fit and bite alignment. It usually requires multiple incremental try-in fittings to ensure the best final result for you. After a brief period of adjusting to the feel of the dentures in your mouth, they will begin to feel natural to you, making eating easier and your speech clearer. Once your dentures are finished, and you have fully adjusted to them, you will have a removable restoration specially designed to mimic the appearance of natural teeth that improves the overall function of your mouth.
A personalized dental care approach
At Lepore Comprehensive Dentistry, you are treated like the individual that you are. Each patient receives personalized care during all aspects of their dental restoration process, from the initial consultation through treatment and follow-up. Drs. Lepore and Dougherty take the time to learn about your personality and lifestyle, talk with you about your goals, and evaluate your current oral health.
This helps Drs. Lepore and Dougherty to identify the best treatment options for you and custom design the perfect smile that matches your unique personality. Call our Dunedin, FL, office today at (727) 608-4690!
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