While your dental professionals are dedicated to helping you keep and take care of your teeth, sometimes your original teeth are too compromised to save and dentures are your best option. Dentures are a common solution to restoring your ability to eat, talk, smile and look your best. In 2020, over 40 million people in the United States reported that they have dentures.1
Understanding how dentures are made, and how to care for them, are both important to good oral health.
The first step in making dentures is for your dentist to take wax or plastic impressions of your existing teeth. Then, existing teeth will have to be extracted. Healing the gums can take weeks or months, depending on your particular situation.
A secondary impression may be taken once your gums heal. Bite registration will be done to check how you bite and a wax impression of your dentures will be made. You will have a final denture fitting and then will see your dentist a few more times, as needed, to make sure the dentures fit well and are comfortable.
You might think that because dentures are most often crafted from plastic, or more accurately from acrylic resin, you don’t have to be as diligent about oral hygiene. While you can’t get a cavity in an acrylic resin tooth, if you don’t practice good oral hygiene you are more likely to be subject to gum disease and other health problems caused by the build-up of bacteria in your mouth and on your dentures.
Dentures can also be made out of porcelain. Porcelain dentures last longer, but acrylic dentures are stronger, lighter in weight and less expensive than porcelain.2 It is recommended that acrylic dentures be replaced every five to eight years, while porcelain dentures can last longer.
Regular dental check-ups are as important to denture wearers as they are to those with their original teeth. A dentist can evaluate the condition of the dentures and whether any issues are arising with the dentures (e.g. chronic inflammation, the dentures no longer fit well, the dentures show signs of wear such as chipped or broken teeth, etc.)3
Your dentist can also advise you on the best ways to clean your dentures. It is recommended that, like those with original teeth, dentures be cleaned twice per day and that denture wearers brush their gums and tongue with regular toothpaste but use denture toothpaste to brush the dentures.4
Dentures can break when dropped, so it is important to put down a soft cloth on your bathroom counter when brushing your dentures. Rinse dentures with warm, not hot or boiling water as hot and boiling water may cause dentures to alter in shape. Using a soft bristled toothbrush or a denture toothbrush and denture toothpaste, not regular toothpaste, brush all surface areas of your dentures.
Rinse the dentures in warm water after brushing. Make sure to remove all denture adhesive when you brush. When sleeping, soak your dentures in lukewarm water or denture-soaking solution overnight. Dentures should always remain moist to prevent drying out, becoming brittle and losing their shape. Rinse your dentures in warm water before you wear them.
Many dental insurance plans cover varying percentages of the cost of dentures, with the majority of insurers covering 50 percent of the cost.5 Many dental plans have a maximum amount they will pay for all covered services each year so it is advisable to get dentures in a year when you haven’t used most of your allowable coverage limit.
You can find excellent dental care as well as affordable dentures at Sedki Dentistry in Commerce Twp. When you visit our full service dental office you will find that our dental staff is warm and welcoming so that you are sure to have your dental questions and concerns addressed with care.
Dr. Sedki will design your new dentures for the best possible comfort, look, and feel so that you are confident, smile brighter and live better. Call and schedule a Free dental consultation with any dental service including cosmetic dentistry, children’s dentistry and gum rejuvenation.
____________________________________________________
1 U.S. Population: Do You Use Dentures?
Link: https://www.statista.com/statistics/275484/us-households-usage-of-dentures/
2 What Are Dentures Made Of? 1/9/2023
Link: https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/dentures/what-are-dentures-made-of
3 Denture Care and Maintenance
Link: https://www.ada.org/resources/research/science-and-research-institute/oral-health-topics/dentures
4 How to Care for Your Dentures by Valencia Higuera, 2/1/2021
Link: https://www.healthline.com/health/denture-care#cleaning-instructions
5 Does Dental Insurance Cover Dentures? by Matt Danielsson, 8/31/2020
Link: https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/120315/does-dental-insurance-cover-dentures.asp