Dentures – Eatontown, NJ

Effects of Missing Teeth

There are several downsides of tooth loss, including:

• Low self-esteem
• Difficulty eating a healthy, well-balanced diet
• Oral health problems, like dental drift
• Trouble enunciating clearly

Fortunately, these don’t need to be your new normal. With tried-and-true solutions like partial and full dentures, we can rebuild your smile, your confidence, and your overall quality of life.

What Qualifies You for Dentures?

At your consultation, our team will need to consider several factors, including your oral health, any underlying issues that need treatment, and your commitment to maintaining your smile. If you have any problems like gum disease or tooth decay, we’ll have to resolve them before moving forward with your treatment. Once you’ve returned to optimal oral health, we can develop a personalized plan for renewing your smile.

Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options

If you’re only missing one tooth or you’re worried about your restoration slipping out of position, then we will explore the other tooth-replacement options available, like:

• Dental bridges – Dental bridges are an ideal solution for patients who are missing one tooth or up to four teeth consecutively. If you decide to move forward with this smile-rebuilding solution, then we will place a dental crown on each side of the gap and secure the replacement tooth (or teeth) in place. Since everything from the size of the dental crowns to the color of the prosthetic teeth is custom-made with your unique dental needs and smile goals in mind, the final result will be a complete smile that makes you look and feel your best!
• Dental implants – There are several reasons dental implants have become the preferred tooth-replacement solution, starting with the fact that they can replace both the root and crown of your teeth. They can also help patients at all stages of tooth loss, they are custom-made to ensure they look and feel lifelike, and they can last for several decades with the proper care and maintenance. If you are interested in learning more about dental implants, then take the next step: schedule a consultation at our Eatontown office.

What Are Dentures Made Of?

Dentures have two main parts:

• The base of a denture is usually made of gum-colored acrylic that is molded to each patient’s unique gumline. In some cases, nylon or resin is used instead of acrylic.
• The teeth of a denture are typically made of either acrylic or porcelain. Porcelain is the favored material for full-mouth replacement due to its durability and natural appearance. Acrylic is often better for patients who still have some natural teeth left because it has a lower risk of damaging natural tooth enamel.

The Denture Creation Process

Creating dentures can take several weeks. Here is a basic overview of the process:

• After any necessary preparatory work is completed, our team will take detailed impressions of your mouth and take some jaw measurements.
• Wax-up. We send the impressions to a dental lab, where a skilled technician will create a wax version of your gumline. A machine called an articulator will be used to set artificial teeth into the wax.
• The lab gives us the wax version of your dentures, and you will come in for a fitting. It may be necessary for you to visit us a few times as we continue to coordinate with the dental lab in order to make sure that your new teeth fit as well as possible.
• Delivery of the denture. After the denture’s fit is approved, the laboratory will create your final prosthetic. Once it is ready, you will return to our office so we can do one last inspection to make sure that everything meets our strict quality standards. Then, you can go off and start the process of adapting to your restored smile.

Adjusting to Your New Dentures

For some patients, it can take a few weeks or even a few months to adapt to a new denture. At first, you might experience a bit of soreness in your gum tissue. Extra saliva production is also common. Our team will give you tips to help you learn to eat and speak with your new prosthetic; practice and consistent use are both important! If you run into any severe difficulties with your denture, give us a call so we can assist you.

Psychological Benefits

Studies show that adults who are missing 10 or more teeth are at an increased risk of experiencing emotional consequences, such as sadness, depression, and social anxiety. Even though well over 40 million Americans are missing all of their teeth, the unspoken shame and impact surrounding this common dental issue can wreak havoc on your mental health.

Dentures have the ability to give you a new, natural-looking, and functional smile, allowing you to feel much more confident in smiling, laughing, and expressing yourself.

Clear Speech

Missing teeth can make it difficult to clearly pronounce certain sounds and words, leading to speech impediments like lisps and whistling while speaking. This is because the gaps can trap air and the tongue, ultimately making it harder to engage in conversations and communicate clearly. Because dentures will restore your whole smile, whether you’re missing several or all of your teeth along an arch, you’ll be able to speak with greater ease.

Expanded Diet

In addition to causing speech issues, gaps in your smile can also make it difficult to eat certain foods, especially those that are chewy or hard. While dentures won’t restore your bite power completely, you’ll still notice a big improvement. By making it easier to chew, your dentures can increase the types of food in your diet, allowing for better nutrition as well!

Improved Oral Health

Research shows that people living with gaps in their smiles are 30 percent more likely to lose more teeth. By restoring your smile with dentures, you may find it easier to stay on top of your oral health. Plus, dentures are incredibly easy to clean and up-keep, making preserving your new smile a breeze.

Expanded Opportunities

The boost of confidence that you’ll receive from having a full and healthy smile again is absolutely priceless. In fact, many people notice that due to the boost in their mood and emotional well-being, they’re more likely to go out and meet new friends, take on new challenges, like going to job interviews, and even go on dates!

Factors That Affect the Cost of Dentures

Ahead of denture treatment, our dentists will perform a quick oral exam. Doing so lets them assess factors that affect your treatment cost. Among these, the most common ones are:

• Preparatory Services – Before wearing a denture, you may need preliminary services. (Such work ranges from tooth extractions to gum disease therapy.) If so, you can expect a greater expense.
• Type of Acrylic Base – As it happens, a denture’s base can use varying kinds of acrylic. Treatment will cost more or less based on the type you get.
• Quality of Replacement Teeth – A denture’s artificial teeth are acrylic or porcelain. The acrylic ones are cheaper but short-lived. In contrast, porcelain teeth cost a lot and last longer.

Given the factors above, remember: cheap dentures aren’t good. They rely on subpart acrylic and inferior tooth materials. Therefore, make sure your denture is of high quality!

Are Implant Dentures More Expensive?

Technically, implant dentures do cost more upfront. That said, they have benefits that justify this higher price.

You see, implant dentures use dental implants. The latter are titanium screws that act as substitute tooth roots. Once placed in your jaw, they slowly fuse with it until they become permanent. That being the case, dentures attached to implants don’t slip or fall.

At the same time, an implant denture is a wise investment. Its implants can last 15-30 years with proper care. In other words, this denture often lasts longer than a regular one. That means fewer repair or replacement visits.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dentures?

Thankfully, dental insurance does cover dentures. Most plans view the prosthetics as medically necessary. As such, they typically cover up to 50% of a denture’s cost.

Of course, there are exceptions. Some dental plans have limited or non-existent denture coverage. For that reason, you should confirm your benefits before treatment. We’ll happily help you do so if you’d like.

Other Options for Making Dentures Affordable

Even if you lack insurance, other ways can make dentures affordable. The most notable of these are a practice’s payment options. If you select the right one, dentures can be quite budget-friendly.

Just look at Nu Dental of Eatontown, for example. We provide:

• Membership Plans – For a flat annual fee, you can join one of our office’s membership plans. These arrangements would give you major discounts on denture treatment.
• CareCredit Financing – Our office works with CareCredit, a third-party financier. With their help, you could pay for dentures in monthly installments. You’d be able to meet the treatment price over time.

For more facts on denture costs, book a consultation at our office! We’ll happily make your prosthetics pretty and affordable.

Removable Dentures

Remove After Eating

Be sure to remove your dentures after each meal for a thorough rinsing to eliminate loose plaque and food debris. However, take care to only use cool or lukewarm water since hot water can warp your appliance and ruin the way it fits.

Clean Your Restoration

Once a day, remove your dentures for a thorough cleaning. Using a soft-bristled toothbrush and a little bit of unscented hand soap, mild dish soap, or an approved denture cleanser, gently clean each surface of your appliance to remove plaque and food residues. Do not use regular toothpaste since it is abrasive enough to leave unsightly scratches on your restoration. If you aren’t wearing your dentures immediately afterward, store them in a glass with water or denture-soaking solution to keep them from drying out and losing their shape. Before wearing dentures that have recently been soaked, be sure to rinse them to remove cleaning agents that are not designed to be placed in the mouth.

Keep Your Dentures Safe

Before removing your dentures for hygiene, be sure to fill the basin of your sink with lukewarm water and cover your countertop with folded towels to create a cushion in case you drop them. It’s also an excellent idea to keep your dentures out of the reaches of pets and small children.

Remove Dentures When You Sleep

Always remove and soak your dentures before going to bed to give your mouth time to rest and clean itself and prevent your appliance from drying out overnight. Sleeping while wearing dentures is associated with higher risk of oral infections as well as pneumonia.

Notice Changes

Pay attention to the appearance and feel of your dentures and report any changes to our dental team. Be on the lookout for issues such as sores, gum irritation, and signs of infection such as swelling, fever, fatigue, chills, or a foul taste in your mouth. Also keep an eye out for shifting, clicking, or other signs of the appliance not fitting properly. Don’t attempt to fix broken dentures on your own since you may injure yourself or damage your appliance further in the process. Instead, call our office to schedule an appointment for repairs.

All-on-4 Dentures

Clean your dentures twice daily using a soft-bristled manual or electric toothbrush and nonabrasive toothpaste that doesn’t contain stain-removing agents like baking soda or charcoal. You’ll also need to floss once daily, and floss threaders or a water flosser may make this process easier. Many patients find that sulcus brushes are especially excellent for cleaning beneath their appliances. It’s also best to rinse your mouth with antibacterial mouthwash daily.