Dentures are an effective way to restore your smile, as well as tooth functioning. Dentures fill in the gaps where teeth are missing and make it possible to enjoy eating a wider variety of foods again. Several types of dentures are available to meet many different needs. Dr. Nolan Behr, the experienced dentist at our office in Colorado Springs, can recommend the right dentures for you.
Benefits of Dentures
There are numerous benefits to replacing missing teeth with dentures. In addition to restoring your smile, another major benefit of dentures is that they can minimize or reverse many of the unwanted side effects of tooth loss. For instance, facial sagging or drooping can occur when teeth are missing. The teeth provide support for facial muscles and when there are not enough teeth, the muscles begin to droop or sag. By filling in the gaps where teeth are missing, dentures provide the additional support needed to reduce facial sagging.
Another potential benefit of dentures is an improvement in speech. Gaps in your smile can change the way you sound when you speak. The teeth normally serve as a guide for the tongue when talking. However, speech can change when the tongue slips into the gaps where teeth are missing.
Dentures can also help by reducing strain on the natural teeth. When teeth are missing, the remaining teeth often compensate for them and take on additional biting and chewing functions. This can put excess strain on those teeth and cause them to be worn down more quickly. By replacing missing teeth, dentures reduce strain by more evenly distributing biting and chewing functions.
Types of Dentures
We offer several types of dentures at our office in Colorado Springs. Dr. Behr can recommend a specific type that is best suited to your individual needs and preferences. The two main categories of dentures are full and partial, but there are several types of each. Full dentures are also called complete dentures and replace a full row or arch of teeth, while partial dentures just fill in the gaps when some natural teeth remain.
Types of full dentures include immediate and conventional, as well as implant-supported overdentures. Immediate dentures are usually only worn temporarily while waiting to be fitted for custom conventional dentures. An advantage of immediate dentures is that they can be worn right away, even following a tooth extraction, so you can enjoy a full smile immediately. Conventional dentures are custom made and conform to your mouth over time so they offer a nearly perfect fit. This type of denture is intended to be worn long-term.
Implant-supported overdentures make it possible to hold a full denture in place with a few strategically placed dental implants. Since the dental implants are placed directly in bone tissue, they can securely hold the denture in place. The dentures will not come loose or slip out of place.
Types of partial dentures include transitional and removable. Transitional dentures are worn temporarily while the mouth heals from extraction. Once healed, the dentures can be replaced with a removable partial denture or with dental implants. Removable dentures are lighter, more comfortable, and provide a better fit than transitional dentures.
Dentures restore your smile, restore tooth functioning, and minimize the side effects of tooth loss. Dr. Behr can help you find the right type of dentures for your needs. To learn more about the different types of dentures, call our office in Colorado Springs at (719) 591-2050.