Dentures Archives | Page 2 of 2 | Williams Family Dentistry

30 Years in Dentures

Posted on March 15, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have been wearing dentures for a bit over 30 years and have never liked my smile. My teeth have always looked fake. Is there a way to get a pretty smile with dental implants or is it too late for me?

Karen

Dear Karen,

The overall answer to this question, is yes, you can get a beautiful smile with dental implants even after 30 years of wearing dentures. In that amount of time, you will have lost quite a bit of the bond structure in your jaw. This is because your body began to resorb the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere as soon as your teeth were removed. In that amount of time you have been with dentures, I expect you are having a difficult time keeping them in place.

Because of this, you will need an additional procedure, known as bone grafting, in order to have enough bone structure to securely retain dental implants. Once that is done and you have had time to heal, you can get the implants placed. While some dentists do both the surgery and implant crown, others will send you to an oral surgeon. If you are going to an oral surgeon, it is imperative you see the dentist first and that the dentist is the one who plans the implant placement, not the other way around.

When you are talking about replacing all your teeth, it is too cost prohibitive to place a dental implant for each missing tooth. Instead, you will place between four to eight dental implants per arch and anchor dentures to them. These are called implant supported dentures. You mentioned your current dentures look fake. It doesn’t have to be that way. You simply need to find an artistic cosmetic dentist who uses quality materials that will not wear down quickly.

The image directly above, with a man and a woman, shows how lovely and natural dentures can look. The gentleman wanted a more subdued, natural looking smile, while the woman wanted a bright, white, young looking smile. Both have implant supported dentures.

Be certain to research the artistic skills of whatever dentist you are thinking to have do this. Look at their smile gallery to see the before and after images of actual cases they have done.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. Weaver.

Do I Have to Pay for a Badly Done Denture?

Posted on February 27, 2021 by writeradmin.

I needed to get my implant denture re-done. I spoke to a dentist and explained that I am transferring to a new city in twelve weeks and asked how long it would take him to make a new denture for me. He said three weeks. On week TEN they finally arrived, but it didn’t fit properly. It took a considerable amount of time for him to attach it. I ended up going back the next day because of the pain I was in and saw one of his colleagues, who said the holes needed to e re-fitted. I am completely out of time to get this re-done. Do I have the right to ask for a refund?

Andie

Dear Andie,

You are well within your rights to ask for a refund on this denture. He promised you three weeks, which is considered a contract. He was significantly late in his delivery and even then the denture was below the standard of functioning. However, with some dentists, just because they should refund your money doesn’t mean they will do so willingly.

In case that is what you will face, let me give you some points of leverage to encourage him to have more integrity about this. First, tell him you will be forced to leave a bad review in order to warn other patients from facing the same problems you have. It might help to tell him that if he cooperates you can leave a review saying that he had integrity and refunded your money when the work didn’t go as planned and you were moving.

If that doesn’t work, the second step is to tell him that you will go to the dental board. Most dentists would prefer to avoid that at all costs. The next step would be a lawsuit, but that is expensive and will eat up your time.

Three weeks is the right amount of time for him to make this denture. The fact that it took much longer makes me think it was the dental implant part that was throwing him. Dental implants require post-doctoral training. He may not have invested in that training. Too often, a dentist does not want to admit when they are in over their head so they will either try to talk you into a different procedure or give it their best shot (often with disastrous results).

I’m sorry this happened to you. Hopefully, after you secure your refund and get to your new location, you will find a dentist who has more experience and training with dental implants.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Metal Allergies, Dentures, & Dental Implants

Posted on September 30, 2020 by writeradmin.

I lost my teeth due to an extended illness. I have a severe metal allergy so my dentist said I wouldn’t be a good candidate for dental implants because they are made of metal. I thought I’d be okay with dentures. Better dentures than nothing. Unfortunately, I’m just not adjusting to them well. The plate makes me gag. Most of the time I don’t even put them in. Is there a solution for someone in my position?

Candace

Dear Candace,

There is a growting availability of metal free dental care.

You said you have a dental allergy. Do you know if that allergy includes titanium? The metal in dental implants is strictly titanium, which is quite biocompatible. It’s been used in prosthetics for decades without problems. It may be your dentist is just uncomfortable placing dental implants and therefore steered you away from it.

Let’s say for argument’s sake that you are allergic to titanium. That doesn’t mean you cannot have dental implants. These days zirconia implants are available. Not every dentist is using them yet because they haven’t been around as long os the traditional titanium ones, but I’m certain you’ll be able to find a dentist who is placing them.

I’d do a search for a metal-free dentist or a holistic dentist. They are both dentists who’d be more willing in your situation.

A Word about Dentures

You aren’t alone in finding it difficult to deal with dentures. Many patients do. The good news about implant overdentures is you won’t have to worry about that gag reflex because there will no longer be a plate necessary. You didn’t mention how long you’ve been in dentures. That will have an impact on whether you can immediately have dental implants placed or if you’ll need an intermediary procedure, known as bone grafting. The longer you are in dentures, the more your jaw bone shrinks. Make sure whoever you see does all the necessary diagnostics, including a CT scan.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John WeaeLexington, KY Dentist

My Dentures Won’t Stay In

Posted on February 7, 2020 by writeradmin.

I need some help. I’ve had dentures for over 30 years but I’m having trouble keeping them in. One of the things that my dentist said is the bone ridge is almost completely gone. He said I eventually won’t be able to wear them anymore. Is there anything I can do? How will I eat?

Danni

Dear Danni,

I know what is happening as well as the solution. Hopefully, your dentist warned you before you had your dentures placed about the dangers of facial collapse. When your teeth are removed, your body recognizes that. In an effort to be as efficient as possible, it resorbs the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in a manner it perceives more useful. After ten or so years, you begin to lose enough jawbone to notice a problem. By the time you get to thirty years, as you have, you’re in full-blown facial collapse.

The solution is bone grafting. This is a surgical procedure which builds back up the bone in your jawbone. Not all dentists know how to do it, so you may need to do some investigating. Once that is done you have two choices.

Choice Number One: Get New Dentures

Once the bone is better, you can have your dentist make you a new set of dentures. The only issue with that is you will start the same cycle again. Your body will begin the whole cycle of bone resorption again.

Choice Number Two: Get Implant-Supported Dentures

One real solution is to have dental implants placed in order to mimic your tooth roots. This signals to your body that you still have teeth. As a result, it will preserve the jaw bone there as still being necessary.

Generally, you will use four to six implants per arch. After a period of healing, which also allows time for the bone to integrate to the implants, then your dentures can be anchored to them.

Other Benefits of Implant-Supported Dentures

Aside from protecting you from facial collapse, which is a HUGE plus, you will notice right some other great benefits from implant overdentures:

Your dentures will no longer move around.
Your chewing capacity will increase.
You will no longer have to worry about sores from your dentures sliding

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Need Advice about Dentures

Posted on December 31, 2019 by writeradmin.

I have had horrible pregnancies for literally ten years in a row. I’ve thrown up for nine months straight before I would get a few months break then I was pregnant again. As a result, my teeth are in horrible shape, especially my upper teeth for all the acid in my vomiting. I can’t afford to fix all the teeth and they are literally starting to fall apart. I keep hearing about the danger of dentures but don’t know that I have any options. What do you recommend? I only get $1000 in coverage from my insurance and if you did the math, you know I’ve got tons of children to care for as well.

Tamara

Dear Tamara,

I’m sorry for what you’re going through. You are obviously in a tough spot. The good news, if there is any, is that what you need to replace is your upper teeth. Those are much better than having to get dentures on your lower teeth. They are easier to adjust, they are more stable, and they have a higher patient satisfaction rate than lower dentures.

Just so you are aware, once you remove those teeth, your body will begin the shrink the bone that was holding those teeth in place. It does that to be as efficient with the minerals in your body as possible.

If you are able to, I’m going to suggest leaving as many upper teeth as possible. You can get a cu-sil partial denture (pictured left) which allows you to keep your healthy natural teeth. If you end up losing them, it is fairly easy for the dentist to fill that hole with another false tooth.

I know you don’t have a lot of money, but I would be as careful as you possibly can given your circumstances to not miss any appointments for your cleanings and checkups from here on out. I do realize the challenge with that when you have so many children. However, losing your lower teeth is much more serious. You’ll save a TON of money catching things early rather than waiting until you are rushing to save them.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Can’t Get New Denture to Stay In!

Posted on October 19, 2019 by writeradmin.

My dentist did an impression followed by a wax bite and two wax try-ins. I noticed with the second wax try-in that it wasn’t staying in and let my dentist know. He said that was only for the teeth and not to worry about it. When I finally received the new dentures, there was zero suction. When I spoke with my dentist about this hs said I likely needed time for my gums to adjust. I gave that time but nothing improved. Next, he said maybe my bite was off and he had me come in again. This time he ground down on the denture teeth. While they felt great when they stayed in, the hardly ever stayed in. Now he’s talking about doing a reline. I’m not sure if this is any better. Should I give up with this dentist?

Missy

Dear Missy,

If everything seems fine with your dentures except they are not staying in, the fit issue should be repaired with a reline. However, your dentist is guilty of skipping some steps in the process of what you told me. Though, it’s possible you didn’t tell me everything. If he did skip some steps, he’s guilty of succumbing to the pressure of keeping prices down to stay competitive. The best impressions are two-step impressions. Some dentists will even do a three-step impression.

He should take a preliminary impression with alginate. This allows for a preliminary model of the jaw. From that model, a custom tray could be made specific to the patient. Some dentists use a moldable stock tray. For the next phase, a heavier impression material is used for a process called border molding. Suction is accomplished by the border of the upper denture. For it to work, you want the border to press into the tissue a little, hence the reason for the heavy-body impression material. The final step is a wash. This is a light-body material that will fill up the interior of the impression that registers all the tiny details of the soft tissue.

If this is shortened to one step, as it seemed your dentist did, the result can be an adequate denture, but the dentist will save chair time and cost.

Consider Dental Implants

If you are fairly young, you may consider looking into dental implants. When your teeth are removed, your body begins resorbing the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body. This is in an effort to stay as efficient as possible with its resources.

Unfortunately, after about ten or so years, you’ll no longer have enough jawbone left to keep your dentures in place at all. This is known as facial collapse. Having some dental implants placed will not only prevent this, it will also secure your denture and improve your chewing capacity.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Can I Get a Soft Denture?

Posted on September 28, 2019 by writeradmin.

I’m 40 years old and stuck with dentures. I hate how they feel on the upper part. Is there any way to get a soft denture?

Alicia

Dear Alicia,

When you hear the term soft denture, it actually is referring to a soft liner. This is usually available for patients with a bumps on their bony ridges. There is a pliable soft denture as a whole if that is what you are thinking. The soft liners will make your dentures more comfortable. You should be aware that they are harder to clean and don’t last as long, so will require replacing. If you’re okay with that, you will find they help with the discomfort.

You said you’re 40 years old. That is awfully young to be in full dentures. I know there are things in life which are quite beyond our control. However, I want to be certain your dentist sufficiently warned you about the dangers of having dentures at such a young age.

When your teeth were removed, your body recognizes that. As a result, it perceives you don’t need your jawbone to retain your teeth roots. IN an effort to be efficient with its resources, it begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body.

This has the unfortunate effect of shrinking your jawbone. Eventually, it will shrink so much, you won’t have enough jawbone left to support your dentures. This is known as facial collapse.

How to Prevent Facial Collapse with Dentures

I’m going to suggest you look into getting implant overdentures. These use four to six dental implants, which are placed into your jawbone. Then, after a period of healing, your dentures will be anchored to them.

Because the dental implants serve as prosthetic tooth roots, your brain realizes you still have need of your jawbone. Because of that, it leaves the minerals intact, thereby preserving your jawbone.

You’ll also find another lovely benefit. Even the best fitting dentures, reduce your chewing capacity by 50%. Having implants placed will increase your chewing capacity giving you a more pleasant life experience.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.