If you have experienced tooth loss or have dental extractions planned, you may be wondering about the tooth replacement options available to you. At the Natural and Cosmetic Dentistry, dentist Dr. Beata A. Carlson and her Associates of dedicated dental professionals offer a wide array of biocompatible tooth replacement choices for patients near Clearwater, Florida. If you are missing more than one tooth, dentures are an excellent option that combines functionality with great aesthetics and affordability.
Modern denture options
Thanks to many advances in dental technologies and materials, modern dentures are more versatile and offer better functionality and aesthetics than the fake-looking dentures you may remember from the past. Today, there is a denture option for nearly every type of tooth loss and patient preference, including:
- Conventional removable dentures: These dentures are made after your teeth and tissues have healed post-extraction. They are held in place with natural suction or denture adhesives and can be removed when cleaning and while you sleep.
- Partial dentures: Partials are used when only a few teeth need to be replaced and are highly customizable based on where you have experienced tooth loss in your mouth. Partial dentures typically clip onto adjacent teeth to stay in place.
- Immediate dentures: This type of denture ensures that you don’t have to go for any length of time without teeth because the denture is inserted when your extractions take place. Because they are made based on impressions of your mouth before your extractions, and your tissues will undergo some changes afterward, it is frequently necessary to reline or remake your denture after the tissues have healed.
- Implant-supported or permanent dentures: This type of denture combines the best of both worlds of dentures and dental implants. It provides the stability of dental implants—which are surgically placed in your jawbone to provide a strong foundation for your replacement teeth—with the flexibility and affordability of dentures to replace multiple missing teeth.
Caring for your dentures
Dr. Beata A. Carlson and Associates will provide you with all of the information you need to know about how to take care of your teeth, gums, and dentures after you receive them. Over time, taking care of your dentures will become second nature! We recommend that patients continue to brush their gums, tongue, the roof of the mouth, and any remaining teeth each morning before inserting their dentures, which helps keep disease at bay and promotes good circulation in your oral tissues. To clean your dentures, you rinse them to remove any food debris and then use a soft-bristled toothbrush and nonabrasive denture cleanser to clean each surface of the denture. Placing your dentures in a safe location covered in water will help prevent your dentures from warping when you are not wearing them. Occasional soaking of your dentures in a high-quality denture cleaner will help keep your dentures looking and feeling fresh.
Learn more in a consultation
At Natural and Cosmetic Dentistry, we are committed to providing non-judgmental, compassionate care to all of our patients. We are here to help you achieve the healthy, terrific-looking smile you deserve. If you are interested in learning more about dentures and whether they might work for you, call our Clearwater, Florida office today at 727-888-6523 or Book an Appointment online.
