For many people, simply considering a visit to the dentist comes with a host of fears. Those with serious dental issues that may be thinking about dentures can tack on a whole lot of questions to their phobia, effectively turning this decision into a mountainlike obstacle. 

In the spirit of ensuring that all our patients arrive and leave our clinic with a bright smile, we’d like to tackle some of the most common questions around dentures so that you have some of the facts before picking up the phone to make your appointment. 

Let’s dive right in.

Why Do People Choose to Get Complete Dentures?

Just for clarity, dentures are replacement teeth. They are available in partial or full sets and can sit in the lower jaw, the upper jaw – or both.

Sadly, as tough as teeth are, they are still susceptible to decay from plaque or tartar build-up, poor oral hygiene, certain illnesses and gum disease. Wherever possible, your dentist will try to save the tooth with various procedures: root canal, fillings, inlays, onlays and crowns all serve to keep as much of the tooth intact as possible.

As a last resort, however, the tooth – or teeth – simply must be extracted. If there are remaining teeth which are strong enough and positioned correctly, then partial dentures may be an option. Complete dentures, though, are necessary when there is too much damage or too few teeth remaining. 

The decision as to whether to get full or partial dentures is a decision best made with your dentist who can explain all the options, advantages and disadvantages to you.

What Are The Downsides To Dentures?

There are few things more embarrassing than ill-fitting dentures which may affect the way you speak and eat and can slip out of your mouth at the most inconvenient of times. 

Some dentures are beautifully crafted but look unrealistically white and perfect – more so than you would expect of even the most ardent of oral hygiene fanatics. Sadly, this just looks fake and makes them even more noticeable.

Also, some foods are going to be off the table – so to speak – for those with dentures. 

Every mouth has a unique structure and to create the best-fitting dentures your dentist needs to get the most accurate representation of your gums, bone and existing teeth using moulds or digital scanning technology. 

This eliminates the problem of loose dentures as you will enjoy a snug and comfortable fit built on your exact specifications. In addition, we at Shine Dental are eager to remain at the leading edge of dental technology and we are constantly exploring new products which allow us to create the most natural-looking and long-wearing dentures. 

However, there are some challenges that even our 21st Century technology can’t accommodate. For example, as we age our jaws tend to wear down. This makes the process of securing dentures more complex and in some cases not possible. If there is not enough bone to support dentures we can explore the option implant retained dentures.

What Is The Best Material For Dentures?

Thankfully we have more and better options than our predecessors who had to make do with animal teeth or carved bone!

At our clinic, we have chosen to use one or a combination of the following choices of materials for dentures:

• Acrylic Dentures
• Cobalt Chrome Dentures
• Flexible Dentures

Acrylic dentures are an affordable and practical option for most people, are easy to adjust and hardwearing. 

Cobalt chrome dentures are a strong and well-fitting option with the metal sitting behind the teeth to form a hardwearing base. These are a good option for partial dentures as the metal is easily hidden behind the existing teeth. They are also thinner, fracture-resistant and comfortable. 

A prerequisite for cobalt chrome dentures, however, is that they require some stable teeth in the mouth to support them so may not work for everyone. 

Flexible dentures are made from a thin thermoplastic which moulds beautifully into the mouth and is incredibly comfortable. In some cases, the rigid material used in conventional dentures can take some getting used to as you learn to hold them in place with your tongue and cheeks.

This option allows the natural colour of the gum to show through and aren’t prone to cracking or fracturing. However, they can’t be added to, and they are not the best option for large gaps.

In Conclusion

Just because you’ve lost teeth through an accident, medical issue or mouth disease, it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy a bright, natural-looking smile. Dentures are not as scary as they used to be, and with all the options available to you, we know that we can provide exactly what you need. 

Take a breath – and call us on 01420 550 616.