Dentures

Given new denture materials and fabricating techniques, we can make a denture fit well, function closer to natural teeth than ever before, and look good.  It is a positive experience for many people, and we can help make it a positive experience for you.

So what features make a good denture?  When it comes to dentures, there are choices we make to assure your denture is not only functional, but natural-looking. How you feel about your appearance is important. We like to think no one leaves our office with a denture that can be spotted at 100 paces.

Your first denture will be a challenge, one you'll want to approach slowly. All the benefits of a comfortable, functional denture will come to you--with practice. Learning new denture skills takes a little time and motivation. Here's what to expect.

At a first appointment, we'll take a series of measurements and wax castings to ensure your denture will fit comfortably.  After the lab has constructed the denture to our specifications, we'll have you in for extractions, and "seat" the denture at the same appointment.  Your gum tissues will adapt over time and settle into a natural fit.

We'll want to match your natural teeth.  Bring in a photograph that shows your profile and your smile to its best advantage.  With subtle touches - a slight shadow here, a groove there - your denture will look just like you.

Natural teeth and good, high quality denture teeth reflect light the same way. Natural tooth enamel is clear and blue. But the ivory-colored dentin beneath makes the tooth yellow near the gum, graduates to white, then lends translucence to the edge. The overall shade of each individual tooth varies from white in the center of the mouth, to fairly yellow further back. Bad denture teeth, on the other hand, are a single shade of stark, unnatural white. We take all these hues into account when we construct your denture.

Natural smiles curve towards the back of the mouth. Teeth appear to diminish in size from the central incisors (two front teeth) to the molars. Conversely, the teeth in a bad denture seem to descend, like a frown, lower and lower. Even with a broad smile, perfectly even teeth do not lend a happy look.  The two central incisors should peek through during speech, and be revealed their full length in laughter. We may build the front teeth a little longer to add a touch of youth to your appearance. Look at a picture of yourself--smiling--when you were in your twenties. That vitality is what we're seeking.

With attention to detail, we'll arrive at a denture no one will notice -- the best kind.

What to expect on dentures

Remember:  A denture is rigid, but it rests on soft tissue. So it's going to move; and the softer the tissue, the more mobility. You'll learn to compensate for this.

For stability, the denture base is extended in the mouth. Chewing on one side has fewer tendencies to dislodge the other side. Remember to place foods on both sides of your mouth and chew with balanced force.

At first you may lose tactile sense that tells you what size food is and where things are while you're chewing. You may even nip your cheek--this is something you'll learn not to do. Expect to have an increased saliva flow, as your body is adjusting to the denture. You'll just have to swallow more for a day or two.

With natural teeth, most of us rest the tongue just behind the lower front teeth. But if you have a habit of moving your tongue back, you'll lift a lower denture out. Your tongue needs retraining. With practice, you won't even think about it.

And you may notice you sound a little different at first. Speech problems associated with a denture are among the first you'll learn to conquer--and you sound a lot better than you think you do.

Denture wearing takes practice to master. It's important to remember--every individual learns to handle a denture at his or her own pace. Be patient, and don't be too hard on yourself.