Dentures – Fresno, CA
Don’t Let
Missing Teeth Define Your Life
A distressingly high number of Americans – around 40 million – have lost all of their natural teeth, making it extremely difficult for them to eat most foods, speak with any sort of clarity, or even just smile at friends and loved ones. Even those that still have some teeth remaining are likely to encounter difficulties in their everyday life. At Sakinawa Dental, our modern personalized dentures give you an easy way to replace multiple missing teeth so that you can live a normal life again. Call us today to set up an appointment and learn more.
Why Choose Sakinawa Dental for Dentures?
- Dental Implants Placed and Restored Under One Roof
- Dentures Made of Comfortable, Lifelike Materials
- Technologically Enhanced Treatment Planning
Who’s a Good Candidate for Dentures?
Dentures are a popular and effective choice for replacing missing teeth. Because of their flexibility and adaptability, almost anyone who has lost multiple teeth or even a full arch can have their smile restored! The best news is that these prosthetics allow patients to speak, eat, and smile confidently again, vastly improving their quality of life.
Whether you're missing several teeth due to injury, decay, or gum disease, our team at Shinkawa Dental will carefully evaluate your needs and explore your options. If you want to get a head start before your consultation and learn more about denture candidacy, continue reading below!
Effects of Missing Teeth
Your smile, for good or ill, can have a big effect on your well-being both physically and mentally. For example, over time, gaps left by missing teeth can cause neighboring teeth to shift, leading to misalignment and bite problems. Tooth loss can also open the door for bone loss in your jaw, and facial sagging.
All of this can affect your speech and appearance as well, lowering self-esteem, and possibly causing anxiety. Fortunately, dentures provide an excellent way to prevent these issues by restoring both the functionality and the appearance of your smile, ensuring you maintain your oral health and confidence.
What Are the Qualities of a Great Candidate for Dentures?
So, what does a great candidate for dentures look like? What qualities should they have? You may be surprised to see that these prosthetics can help a wide variety of people, and aren’t restricted to an age group. A great candidate for dentures typically has:
- Multiple missing teeth or loss of a full dental arch
- Healthy gums and enough jawbone to support the prosthetics
- A commitment to maintaining oral hygiene and care for the dentures
- The willingness to adapt to a learning curve as they get used to wearing dentures
- The need for an affordable and complete treatment
Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options
While dentures are a fantastic solution for many, they aren't the only tooth-replacement option available. Alternatives include:
- Dental Implants: A long-lasting option where titanium posts are surgically placed into your jawbone, providing a stable base for various restorations like crowns or even special denture prosthetics!
- Dental Bridges: Bridges are ideal for replacing one or a few missing teeth in a row by attaching fused artificial teeth called pontics to adjacent natural teeth.
At Shinkawa Dental, we want every patient to know that they have options for tooth replacement. Our expert dental team will work with you to find the solution that best fits your lifestyle, budget, and oral health needs. So, don’t hesitate to reach out to us and schedule your consultation today!
Types of Dentures
The dentures of today aren’t the same as the prosthetics that people used decades ago. The materials used to make them are more lifelike, and the overall design is less bulky and focused on personal comfort as well as stability. Furthermore, there are several kinds of dentures that you can choose from based on your unique situation. We will recommend one of the three types of dentures listed below depending on what we find during your first consultation.
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures can be used in minor cases where only a couple of teeth are missing as well as more extensive cases where there are multiple gaps throughout the mouth. The prosthetic is held in place with a metal clasp that is attached to the natural teeth.
Full Dentures
A full denture replaces a whole row of teeth. If you have lost most of your teeth and don’t have enough worth salvaging, the remaining teeth can be extracted to make room for a prosthetic. Full dentures can be held in place with natural suction, but specialized adhesives are available if you feel you need them.
Implant Dentures
We can anchor your dentures to dental implants that have been inserted directly into your jawbone. There will be no need to rely on natural suction or separate metal clasps; the prosthetic will have “roots” to keep it stable at all times. Most implant dentures are designed so that they’re permanently anchored in place, but they can be made to be removable if you choose.
The Benefits of Dentures
- Restore your bite strength so that you can chew many different foods again
- A cost-effective solution for extensive tooth loss
- Prosthetics that are uniquely designed for each patient
- New teeth that can last for 10 years or more with the right care
- Simple, straightforward maintenance
Denture FAQs
How Long Will You Have to Wait to Get Dentures After Your Teeth are Pulled?
Typically, the wait between your tooth extraction and your new dentures is about six to eight weeks; however, the exact amount of time will depend upon the type of denture you will be receiving.
Waiting allows your gums a chance to heal and provides additional time to ensure that your dentures fit properly.
Immediate (same day) dentures can be placed on the same day as your extraction. This allows you to begin wearing your new teeth sooner, however it will not allow your dentist the opportunity to preview the fit first. This can occasionally be problematic, as the shape of the underlying bone and gums may change as your mouth heals.
If you’re receiving implant dentures, you will need to wait between four and six months for the implant to complete the osseointegration process.
Can I Reline My Dentures Myself?
Social media has made a lot of things possible in recent years, including many of people attempting to reline their dentures at home. The belief is that you can repair them yourself to both save some money and ensure a better fit. In fact, you can even buy DIY denture reliner kits at many stores and online.
Unfortunately, however, relining your own dentures is usually a bad idea. Only a qualified dentist can determine the best way to fix your dentures, and if you’re not careful, you can make them fit worse. If done incorrectly, you can even make it painful and difficult to chew with your dentures.
Can I Sleep with My Dentures?
While you will be instructed to keep your dentures on for 24 hours when you first receive them, you should remove them every evening after that. This is because wearing them restricts the circulation in your gums, which can cause soft tissue irritation and can accelerate ridge resorption. Removing them allows your gums a chance to recover and get the nutrients they need while you sleep.
Furthermore, the dark moist area underneath your dentures is an ideal place for bacteria to thrive. Because of this, sleeping with dentures has been tied to an increased risk of pneumonia. Failure to remove them can also increase gum and tongue plaque, which can cause gum disease and damage to any remaining natural teeth.
Can I Use Regular Toothpaste to Clean My Dentures?
While you do need to brush and rinse your dentures daily, you should not do this with regular toothpaste. Toothpaste is abrasive and can leave microscopic scratches on the surface of your dentures, which over time can cause serious damage. Instead, it is recommended that you use hand soap or mild dishwashing detergent and denture cleanser and be sure to clean them well after every meal. Also, be sure to use a soft-bristled toothbrush to avoid scratching them.