Dentures – Rocky Mount, NC
A Comfortable, Trusted Solution for Tooth Loss
The dentures of today are very, very different compared to the ones your parents or grandparents might have worn. Now, they are extremely natural-looking and can be designed to fit comfortably in the mouth while still offering premier stability. Whether you are missing most of your teeth or all of them, our team can help you get your bite and confidence back for a lifetime to come. To get started, contact us today to schedule a consultation to discuss smile restoration with dentures in Rocky Mount, NC.
Why Choose Drs. Belton & Schrimper, DDS PA for Dentures?
- 100% Custom-Made Dentures for Each Patient
- State-of-the-Art Dental Office
- Friendly Dental Team That Treats Patients Like Family
What are Dentures?
A denture is a form of restorative dentistry that is used to replace missing teeth in one or both jaws. In most cases, they’re made with an acrylic gum-colored base and a set of ceramic or acrylic false teeth.
Depending on your needs, you may be eligible for one of the three types of dentures:
Full Dentures
When you hear the word “denture,” it’s likely a full denture that you picture in your mind. These are used to bring back an entire row of teeth at once, and they stay in place by sitting directly on the gums, relying on the power of natural suction, denture adhesive, and the strength of the nearby cheek muscles.
Partial Dentures
You can think of a partial denture as the final puzzle piece that will complete your smile. The prosthetic can be shaped to fit between a patient’s remaining teeth, no matter their orientation, and is secured within the mouth using small metal clasps.
Implant Dentures
While an implant denture may look like a traditional removable one on top, the “magic” is actually hidden beneath the gum line. Instead of just sitting on the gums, implant dentures are directly anchored to the jawbone using a series of small titanium posts that act like new tooth roots. This gives the prosthetic a strength and stability that perfectly replicates real teeth.
Who's a Good Candidate for Dentures?
Most people who have lost several or all of their teeth are great candidates for dentures. So, if you are struggling with moderate to severe tooth loss, and you’re ready to rebuild your smile, schedule a consultation with us! You can also read on to learn about the negative effects of missing teeth, the qualities we look for in a good candidate, and the other tooth-replacement solutions we offer.
Effects of Missing Teeth
There are several drawbacks that come with an incomplete smile. A few noteworthy ones include:
- Dental drift – Following tooth loss, it’s very common for the teeth surrounding the gaps to begin to drift, negatively impacting the alignment of a patient’s bite in the process.
- Low self-esteem – Oftentimes, patients have a hard time smiling confidently with noticeable gaps in their smile, which causes them to become more withdrawn and avoid social situations.
- Limited diet – Without a strong, complete bite, there’s really only one choice: to eat applesauce, plain yogurt, and other extremely soft foods.
What Qualifies You for Dentures?
Ultimately, a consultation with one of our dentists is the only way to determine your eligibility for dentures. With that said, there are a few qualities that good dentures candidates have in common, including: they are struggling with moderate to severe tooth loss, there isn’t an active infection in their gums, and they are committed to taking good care of their smiles. If that’s the case for you, then we will get to work creating your custom treatment plan, including determining which type of denture you’ll need (i.e., full, partial, or implant denture).
Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options
If we decide together for one reason or another that dentures aren’t the best tooth-replacement solution, then we will discuss the other ones we offer. Here’s a little more information on each:
- Dental bridges – Dental bridges can effectively replace one missing tooth or up to four missing teeth consecutively. This is accomplished by placing a custom dental crown on each side of the gap and securing the replacement tooth or teeth in place to literally “bridge” the open space.
- Dental implants – Dental implants are a cutting-edge solution that is inserted directly into the jawbone. Not only does this provide unmatched stability and durability, but it also helps prevent bone loss, and it can last for 30+ years with the proper care and maintenance.
If you have any questions for our team about your treatment options, including if dentures are the best one for you, then take the next step: schedule a consultation with us. We look forward to learning about your unique dental history, needs, and goals as well as how we can give you back a smile that you genuinely love!
How Dentures are Made
It’s only natural to want to learn as much about dentures as you can before deciding to proceed with this treatment. Many patients have questions about getting these replacement teeth, like what they’re made from and how they’re put together.
Our team in Rocky Mount wants you to have as much information as you need to feel confident moving forward with this treatment. With that in mind, continue reading to learn more about how these teeth are created so you can appreciate your new restoration that much more!
What are Dentures Made Of?
These restorations typically contain two main parts, which are outlined in more detail below:
- The base. This is the foundational structure that provides all the support needed to anchor your new teeth in place. It’s usually made from gum-colored materials, such as acrylic, nylon, or resin, that can be customized to resemble your connective tissues. Partial sets often also include metallic clasps that clip to healthy teeth in your mouth.
- The artificial teeth. The pontics, or artificial teeth, are usually made out of resilient ceramic or porcelain. These materials are designed to match the shape, color, and size of your natural enamel for beautiful results to boost your confidence.
The Denture Creation Process
Are you curious what the step-by-step process of building dentures looks like? It might vary slightly depending on your circumstances, but typically you can expect the following:
Step #1: Our team will make impressions of your upper and lower arches that will be used to ensure your prosthetics will fit correctly, and send them to a dental lab to begin working on your new teeth.
Step #2: The lab technician starts by forming a wax version of the gumline on the cast of your teeth.
Step #3: Artificial teeth are placed into the wax using a mechanical device called an articulator, and the lab tech carves the gums to resemble your natural tissues.
Step #4: The wax dentures are returned to our office for a fitting. We’ll schedule an appointment for you to try them on and note any changes that must be made before returning them to the lab to be finalized.
Step #5: At the lab, the wax version is placed in a flask. Plaster is added to maintain their shape, then the container is placed in boiling water to melt the wax away.
Step #6: A liquid separator is added to keep materials from sticking together, and then acrylic is injected into the flask to replace the wax portions.
Step #7: The plaster is carefully removed from the acrylic dentures using special laboratory instruments. Then, they are placed in an ultrasonic bath to ensure they’re thoroughly cleaned.
Step #8: Excess acrylic will be trimmed away, and your prosthetics will be polished to perfection before being delivered to our office.
Step #9: We’ll schedule you for a final fitting and discuss care and maintenance before sending you home with your beautifully rebuilt smile!
Adjusting to Your New Dentures
It might take up to a month or so for your tongue and the tender tissues in your mouth to acclimate to your restoration. It’s normal to feel sore, struggle to eat normally, or develop speech impediments, such as a lisp or slur, during this transitional period. Fortunately, they usually dissipate on their own with time and patience.
You can help reduce their impact by sticking to softer foods at first that are easier to eat, such as mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, applesauce, yogurt, or blended fruit smoothies. You might also practice reading out loud to yourself so you can rehearse challenging words or sounds until you feel more confident in your enunciation.
The Benefits of Dentures
Losing many teeth can make it hard to complete many daily tasks such as eating, speaking clearly, and smiling with confidence. Thankfully, Dentures from Dr. Schrimper’s office can make it easier to communicate, receive adequate nutrition, and maintain a robust and vibrant appearance. Here’s a quick look at how these incredible prosthetic devices may be able to improve your life.
Psychological Benefits
People who have lost many teeth often have difficulty adapting to life after tooth loss. If this makes an individual nervous about showing their smile, they may have trouble engaging socially, which may set them up for unpleasant emotions like sadness, loneliness, and depression. Restoring your smile with dentures can be an excellent way to enhance your appearance and your confidence so you can succeed at work and enjoy social outings.
Clearer Enunciation
Tooth loss can affect the way vibrations move through your mouth when you speak, which can lead to lisps and other speech impediments that can make communicating clearly difficult. Thankfully, dentures can work in the place of your lost teeth so you can speak easily and pronounce words naturally. After you have a little time to adjust to your appliance, you should find that talking feels incredibly natural.
Improves Nutrition
Tooth loss can deprive a person of the chewing power they need to enjoy a healthy and tasty diet and set them up for overall health issues like malnutrition and indigestion. Dentures can restore a significant amount of a patient’s chewing power so they can enjoy a wide range of delicious and nutritious foods like fresh meat, raw fruits and veggies, and crunchy nuts and seeds.
Preserves Oral Health
Losing teeth can lead to a host of unpleasant consequences for your oral health like gum injuries, dental drift, uneven enamel erosion, jawbone atrophy, infections, and injuries. Dentures are designed to support the remaining teeth and protect the gums, which can help the patient chew evenly and comfortably and keep their smile in good shape for years.
Expands Opportunities
Having a smile you can be confident in can make all the difference when being considered for a new job or a promotion, and grinning frequently will help you make positive first impressions that can lead to new opportunities for your social life and career. Receiving dentures may be an excellent way to achieve a smile you’ll be eager to show off to friends and coworkers.
Living with Dentures
Once we place your new teeth, we’ll provide you with specific instructions on how to care for them. Generally speaking, you’ll have to clean your dentures daily. You should also keep brushing your remaining teeth, gums, and tongue to minimize your risk of infection. Removable dentures should be soaked in water or denture cleanser at night, but make sure the water isn’t too hot, or else the dentures could lose their personalized shape.
To help you quickly get used to your dentures, wear them as much as possible. Practice reading aloud to get the hang of speaking with them in your mouth. Cutting your food into bite-sized chunks and chewing evenly with both sides of your mouth can help you grow accustomed to eating with them.