Spokane Dentures

If you are missing teeth, there can be all sorts of implications. Missing teeth can affect the way you eat, the way you speak, and the way you look. All of these can impact your day-to-day life. What's more, the longer you are without teeth, the more any teeth you have left may be affected too.

No matter how you lost your teeth, you have several options when it comes to replacing them. A visit to a prosthodontist is the best place to start this process. Expert prosthodontists, like those at Spokane's own Pacific Northwest Prosthodontics, can help you choose the best option for you. Among your options are dentures. Keep reading to learn more about how dentures can replace your missing teeth and get you back to enjoying your life.

Missing Teeth: Causes

When many people think of others who have lost teeth, they may well think of elderly people who have lost their teeth over time as they aged. Or they may think of hockey players who have taken a puck to their teeth! While these cases are certainly very real, people of all ages can lose teeth for a variety of reasons.

Teeth can accidentally be lost in falls, in car accidents, or during sports, to name just a few reasons. If a baby tooth gets knocked out when a four-year-old falls or gets hit in the mouth, there is not much that needs to be done, other than check in with the dentist to make sure deeper damage wasn't done. If not, eventually the permanent tooth will grow in to replace the missing tooth—even if the child needs to be gap-toothed for a while. (A mouth guard worn during sports is always a good idea for protecting teeth and avoiding knocked-out teeth.)

When a permanent tooth falls out, it can create an issue. Missing teeth can cause problems with eating, speaking, and the positions of the surrounding teeth. Something needs to be done to replace the tooth that's gone.

A tooth may need to be removed if it gets infected or cracked in an irreparable way. An infection may even impact a group of teeth. It's important to remember to practice good oral hygiene to keep infections from taking hold and growing. Whatever the reason was, once you have lost a tooth or a few teeth, it's important to replace them in order to prevent an impact, as mentioned above, on your chewing, speaking, or nearby teeth.

Missing Teeth: Replacement Options

A prosthodontist is an expert in replacing teeth lost to accident, infection, or age. After an examination of what's going on with your teeth, your Spokane prosthodontist will go over your options for filling in that gap in your mouth.

One option your prosthodontist is likely to offer involves dental implants. Dental implants are posts inserted into your jawbone. After a period of healing, replacement teeth attach to the top of the implant. Implants can take the place of one tooth or a group of teeth. Dental implants are an effective way of replacing teeth, although they can be expensive. In addition, getting implants placed into your jawbone can be time-consuming, taking anywhere from 6 to 8 months, at a minimum.

Another way to go to replace missing teeth is to get dentures. Dentures are removable appliances that can be custom-made to look and work just like your natural teeth. They are a less-expensive alternative to implants and take much less time to be made and fitted. Partial dentures are an option if you have lost just a few teeth. These replacement teeth are attached to your natural teeth with a metal frame. They are removable for cleaning but will otherwise act just like your natural teeth.

If you have lost all your teeth—or all your teeth need to be extracted—a full dental appliance can take their place. This can happen immediately—even on the same day as your teeth have been extracted. An immediate denture is made from an image taken before a tooth extraction. This fabrication process may take several visits to complete, but the appliance will have a more natural look and fit if it's made while you still have some natural teeth.

There are many benefits to an immediate denture. If your teeth have been extracted, an immediate denture works much like a band-aid, reducing bleeding and protecting the soft tissue where your teeth once were. Another advantage is that you will not need to head out into the world with no teeth—something that may cause some embarrassment.

With any dentures, there is an adjustment period. With an immediate denture, you don't have to learn to speak and eat with no teeth present. All you need to do is get used to the new appliance in your mouth. The immediate denture may require refitting and adjusting as your gums heal—or you may eventually need to switch to conventional dentures. Conventional dentures are an option if you and your prosthodontist determine that immediate dentures aren't the right choice for you. Generally, you will wait 6 to 8 weeks after any extractions—time enough for the gums to heal—before getting conventional dentures fitted.

Dentures: An Easy Process

In order to create your custom-fit dentures, your prosthodontist will make an image of your mouth using putty or using digital imaging technology. The images your prosthodontist makes will get sent to a lab, where custom trays will be created for a second set of impressions. The second set of impressions will be made using the custom tray that was created in the lab. Making impressions with a custom tray ensures the fit is just right for you.

Once your dentures are made, your prosthodontist will ensure they work well for you and that your bite is aligned, and the appliance is comfortable. If needed, adjustments can be made over time to keep the dentures in good, working order. Dentures are held in place with suction, though you may also require a dental adhesive to help keep them secured in your mouth. Since they are removable, it is easy to keep them clean, along with your gums and other areas of your mouth.

All-on-Four dental implants are another consideration. These appliances hold dentures in place with four dental implants—two in the front of your mouth, two in the back. This is a procedure you can discuss with your prosthodontist to see if it's right for you.

Time for Dentures?

Are you missing teeth? Has your dentist told you that you need to have some—or all—of your teeth extracted? Dentures may be the next step in your dental journey. At Pacific Northwest Prosthodontics, we want to help you get the appliance you need to help you to keep smiling.

Call our office in Spokane for an appointment today.