What to Expect When Getting Dentures

Teeth can be lost due to decay, gum disease, injury, or accidents. If one or more of those is true for you, dentures may be exactly what you need to eat, speak, and smile with confidence again. Dr. Sullivan and the team at Sullivan Family Dental can provide you with custom dentures to help you to love your smile again.

Types of Dentures

There are two main types of dentures: removable dentures and implant-supported dentures. Both types can be partial or complete, restoring the loss of several or all of your teeth.

Removable Dentures

These are the most traditional types of dentures. They are held in place during the day by adhesive and taken out at night. These are the ideal type of dentures for people who don’t have any teeth.

Implant Dentures

This type of dentures is held in place by dental implants in the jaw. They are more secure than removable ones because they’re secured in the bone with dental implants.

Steps When Getting Dentures

The first step to getting dentures is a thorough dental examination. This allows the Sullivan Family Dental team to check the condition of your oral health. This is also when Dr. Sullivan looks at your remaining teeth for any signs of infection and decay. Other teeth may need to be removed prior to placing dentures.

Next, Dr. Sullivan will take a mold or impression of your teeth and mouth so that she can make a custom replica of your natural teeth. The measurements taken now are key to understanding how your upper and lower jaws align.

The molds from step two are then used to create the dentures themselves. This might mean making several preliminary casts of dentures. We will test the fit, bite, and speech and make adjustments to the preliminary casts so that your new dentures are as comfortable and as close to your natural teeth as possible.

Your final dentures are fitted! It’s important to follow our instructions about how to care for your new dentures and to give yourself some time to get accustomed to them.

After your dentures are fitted, you must continue making regular appointments with Sullivan Family Dental so that we can be sure they stay in good condition and also monitor the health of the rest of your mouth.