Dentures – Plainview, NY

Effects of Missing Teeth

Understanding the causes and consequences of missing teeth is essential before embarking on any treatment. According to the American College of Prosthodontists, common reasons for tooth loss include decay, gingivitis, accidental trauma, and poor oral hygiene. Additionally, certain systemic conditions may heighten the risk of tooth loss.

If you're missing one or more teeth, prompt replacement is crucial to avoid potential complications. Delaying replacement can lead to various negative impacts on your smile, including difficulty eating or speaking, facial changes, and diminished self-esteem. Moreover, serious effects like gum recession, neighboring teeth shifting, and jawbone deterioration may occur if gaps are left untreated.

What Qualifies You for Dentures?

Whether you're dealing with minor or extensive tooth loss, dentures offer a viable solution. This tried-and-true treatment has provided relief to countless patients over the years, restoring confidence in eating, speaking, and smiling. However, if you have underlying issues such as gum disease or tooth decay, addressing them beforehand is crucial. Additionally, maintaining a healthy jawbone is essential to prevent issues like poorly fitting dentures and gum irritation.

The type of denture recommended will be tailored to your specific needs, based on the extent of tooth loss. Our team typically suggests partial, full, or implant dentures, depending on your unique circumstances. A significant benefit of this treatment is its affordability compared to other options, making it an ideal choice for those on a budget.

Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options

If traditional dentures aren't the right fit for you, there are alternative treatments available to address your missing teeth. Consider exploring these options:

• Dental Bridges – Ideal for patients with one or more consecutive missing teeth, dental bridges utilize pontics to span the gap, anchored by dental crowns affixed to adjacent natural teeth on either side.
• Dental Implants – This involves the surgical placement of titanium posts into the jawbone to provide a sturdy foundation for new teeth. Dental implants offer exceptional stability and functionality, but they require adequate jawbone density and healthy gums for successful integration. While it involves a minor surgical procedure, the results can endure for decades with proper maintenance.

Learn More About Dental Implants

What are Dentures Made Of?

Every denture consists of a base and a number of artificial teeth. Here’s a quick look at what these components are typically made out of.

• The base can be made from a variety of materials. Acrylic is the most popular option since it can be customized to resemble your natural gums. Nylon might be used in place of acrylic in specific circumstances.
• The artificial teeth may be made out of resin or porcelain. Generally speaking, many dentists prefer porcelain due to the way it mimics the appearance of real tooth enamel. On top of that, artificial teeth made out of porcelain can generally be trusted to last a very long time.

The Denture Creation Process

Your denture will be personalized for your specific mouth. There are several steps involved in creating a customized prosthesis, as detailed below:

• At the start of the process, you will pay our office a visit so that we can take impressions of your upper and lower gums. A plaster model of your mouth will be created and sent to a laboratory.
• The model of your mouth will be used as a guide to create a wax version of your gums. Then a device called an articulator will be used to place the artificial teeth in specific spots in the wax. Once the wax base has been adjusted, it will be sent to our practice.
• At a second appointment, we will check to make sure the wax dentures fit in your mouth. Once we have confirmed that they do, we’ll return them to the lab so that the process can be completed.
• The dentures are placed in a flask, which is filled with plaster and exposed to hot water. The heat will melt the wax, but the plaster will allow the dentures to keep their shape.
• Acrylic is injected into the flask. The material will replace the wax in order to act as the new base for the dentures.
• Special tools are used to get rid of the plaster, and unnecessary acrylic is removed from the dentures.
• The now-completed dentures are sent back to our office so that we can perform the final fitting, allowing you to start enjoying your new teeth.

Adjusting to Your New Dentures

While your dentures will be made with your comfort in mind, your mouth will need time to get used to them, so you may experience a bit of soreness at first. Exercising your facial muscles and eating soft foods can help ensure that the adjustment process goes smoothly and relatively quickly. If you have any questions about the adjustment process, don’t hesitate to let our team know.

Psychological Benefits

Missing teeth can have a deep psychological impact that can spread to other areas of your life, affecting your self-confidence, happiness, and desire to socialize. This dental concern has also been connected to social anxiety and depression.

Thanks to dentures’ ability to rejuvenate your smile, you’ll be able to laugh, grin, and speak with confidence again, helping you get more out of life.

Clearer Enunciation

With missing teeth, pronouncing certain words or sounds can become a challenge. This is because your tongue can easily become stuck in the holes throughout your mouth, causing you to slur or trip over your words. With a short adjustment period of about 30 days after getting dentures, you’ll be able to speak much more easily, boosting your confidence in social settings.

Improved Nutrition

Chewing food effectively takes an entire mouth full of teeth, and when many or all of them are missing, proper digestion and absorption of key nutrients can be incredibly difficult to achieve. Some people experiencing tooth loss even develop indigestion and malnutrition. With a restored set of teeth, you’ll be able to eat a wider variety of foods, helping you consume key nutrients to maintain good oral and overall health.

Preservation of Oral Health

If you have gaps throughout your arch, your existing nearby teeth will eventually shift to fill in these spaces. This can lead to bite misalignment, misspacing, and jawbone resorption. With time, these secondary conditions can result in further tooth loss. Whether you receive full or partial dentures, a complete set of teeth will make it easier to maintain a healthy smile.

Expanded Opportunities

When you first meet someone on a blind date or sit down with a recruiter during a job interview, the first trait that they’ll likely notice is your smile. If you’re missing several or all of your teeth and don’t feel confident enough to let it show, it could come off as cold or unwelcoming, limiting your ability to establish a great first impression. With a complete set of pearly whites, you can let your smile show with confidence in these important moments.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Dentures

There are three major factors that influence the cost of dentures:

• Preparation: Remaining teeth may need to be extracted before getting dentures.
• Base Material: The type of acrylic used for the base, which is dyed to match the color of gum tissue.
• Teeth Material: The replacement teeth, usually made from acrylic or porcelain, should be lifelike and sturdy.

Are Implant Dentures More Expensive?

Yes. In general, implant dentures are more expensive than traditional dentures – but for good reason. Implant dentures offers a range of benefits that traditional replacement teeth just cannot match. Because dental implants fuse directly with the jawbone, implant dentures have greater stability and a more natural appearance than traditional dentures. Implant dentures restore nearly full chewing power and never slip or shift, which means you can enjoy all your favorite foods. Finally, implant dentures often make more financial sense in the long run thanks to their long-lasting nature. While traditional dentures typically must be replaced every 5 to 7 years, implant dentures can last for decades with proper care.  

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dentures?

You can likely count on your dental insurance to cover around 50% of the cost of dentures. However, every insurance plan is slightly different. Before committing to restoring your missing teeth with dentures, don’t hesitate to check with your insurance provider to confirm your coverage. Our knowledgeable denture dentists in Plainview will be happy to help you understand the details of your insurance plan and maximize your benefits.

Other Options for Making Dentures Affordable

Even if you don’t have dental insurance, there are plenty of ways to make dentures work for your budget. For example, at Meadowbrook Dentistry, we offer an in-house discount plan! For as low as $25 a month, you get many of the same benefits as a traditional insurance plan without any of the hassles. No deductibles, copays, waiting periods, et cetera! Instead, you’ll get easy access to free preventive care like checkups and cleanings and a 20% discount on major services like dentures in Plainview.

Qualified patients can also save on dental restorations by signing up for CareCredit or Proceed Finance. Both of these trusted partners allow patients to break up the out-of-pocket costs of dental care into small, manageable monthly payments. Many of their plans have low or no interest, which make them a great way to achieving your smile goals without straining your budget.

At Meadowbrook Dentistry, we believe finances should not stand in the way of a complete, healthy smile. Our team will be happy to discuss different payment and financing options for dentures during an initial consultation. 

Removeable Dentures

Remove After Eating

Firstly, you’d be wise to rinse your dentures after each meal. Doing so keeps leftover food and plaque from clinging to them. Consequently, you’ll have a lower risk of oral health issues.

Note, though, that you shouldn’t use hot water for the rinses. Liquids at high temperatures can warp denture material. As such, a steamy rinse would distort your denture’s fit.

Clean Your Restoration

Aside from rinsing them, clean your dentures (at least) once daily as well. This habit removes the bacteria and debris that a post-meal wash can miss.

A daily denture cleaning is pretty simple. Once they’re out of your mouth, just brush the prosthetics with a soft-bristled toothbrush and some hand soap. Don’t involve toothpaste in the process, as it’s abrasive and can damage dentures.

After the brushing, briefly soak the dentures in a cleansing solution. Then, rinse them before putting them back in your mouth.

Keep Your Dentures Safe

Sadly, dentures aren’t invincible. They can break if they’re put under enough force. Therefore, you should take steps to keep them safe.

Thankfully, it isn’t too hard to protect dentures. You could place a towel in the sink for daily cleanings; it’d cushion the prosthetics from falls. On the other hand, you might store the dentures securely when they’re not in use. Then, kids or pets wouldn’t reach and break them.

Remove Dentures When You Sleep

While they may look natural, you shouldn’t wear dentures overnight. The better approach is to remove them before bed. If possible, put them in a glass of soaking solution; the material keeps dentures moist while you sleep.

You see, wearing dentures to bed is harmful. It restricts your gums’ circulation, resulting in soft tissue irritation. Constant denture use also increases your tongue’s plaque levels, not to mention your pneumonia risk.

Notice Changes

As you wear dentures, monitor both the prosthetics and your mouth. You’ll need to watch for changes your dentist may need to address. If you develop mouth sores, gum irritation, or an infection, you must get immediate care.

Remember to see a dentist if your dentures fit poorly or get damaged. Trying to fix them yourself won’t help matters. In contrast, a dentist can refit or even replace the restorations.

All-on-4 Dentures

Due to using dental implants, All-on-4 dentures have their own unique care steps. These are:

• Mouth Rinses – Rinse your mouth with mouthwash daily to prevent tartar growth.
• Clean Between Spaces – To clean between your dentures and gums, use a sulcus brush. (This kind only has one-third the width of normal toothbrushes.)
• Twice-Daily Brushing – As you would natural teeth, brush your dentures twice daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush and appropriate toothpaste.
• Once-Daily Flossing – Floss your replacement teeth once daily. If needed, get floss threaders to floss beneath your dentures.