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Dentures—Derry, NH
Restore Your Bite, Restore Your Confidence
A denture can be truly life-changing for those who need it, renewing their ability to eat what they like, say what they think, and smile with confidence. Dr. Rohan Patel creates custom dentures in Derry that are tailored to each patient, ensuring the highest quality when it comes to function, comfort, security, and aesthetics. If you’re ready to stop living your life around missing teeth, contact us today to start getting your smile back.
WHY CHOOSE DERRY FAMILY DENTISTRY FOR DENTURES?
- ENHANCED DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING FOR PRECISE TREATMENT PLANNING
- DIGITAL IMPRESSION SYSTEM FOR GREATER ACCURACY
- SERVING THE DERRY COMMUNITY SINCE 1986
Who Is a Good Candidate for Dentures?
We typically recommend dentures for patients who are missing several or all of their teeth. When you come in for your initial consultation, Dr. Patel and our team will also examine your mouth to make sure you don’t have any ongoing dental issues like cavities or gum disease, as these will need to be addressed before you can be fitted with a prosthetic. If you’re only missing a single tooth or a small number of teeth, then a treatment like a bridge or dental implant crown might be a better fit.
Types of Dentures
Because tooth loss can occur in so many different ways, our office is proud to offer a multitude of options so we can find what is best for the patient.
Partial Dentures
A partial denture uses clips to fit between the remaining teeth like the final piece of a puzzle. A strong metal framework is covered by a gum-colored base that supports porcelain teeth.
Full Dentures
Full dentures can bring back an entire row of teeth with just one prosthetic. They sit directly on the gums and stay in place mostly through natural suction and maybe a little denture adhesive. On top of allowing patients to chew again, they also add height to the face to create a healthier and more youthful appearance.
Implant Dentures
With an implant denture, the prosthetic is connected to the jawbone using four or more dental implants. These act like new titanium tooth roots, anchoring the teeth in place so they are extremely stable. They also stimulate the jaw and prevent the bone loss that often follows tooth loss. Some implant supported dentures can stay fixed in the mouth, which do not need to cover as much of the roof of the mouth or gums.
Benefits of Dentures
Dentures are a life-changing tooth replacement option for those who have suffered from extensive tooth loss. This prosthetic can restore both the appearance and function of your smile. Continue reading to learn about some of the incredible benefits you can experience by opting for dentures.
Psychological Benefits
If you don’t currently have any healthy teeth, it can be a challenging thing to accept. Many sufferers of extensive tooth loss encounter negative effects on their self-confidence, resulting in higher levels of sadness and depression. When you restore your smile with dentures, you can feel better about your image, reducing anxieties regarding your appearance, speech articulation, chewing ability, and much more.
Clearer Enunciation
When you have gaps in your smile, it can be challenging to pronounce certain sounds and say different words. To enunciate your words properly, your lips and tongue need to be positioned properly. If there are gaps in your smile, your tongue can’t sit against the teeth, making some words very challenging to say.
Improves Nutrition
Many nutrient-dense foods are tough in texture. This includes healthy proteins, fruits, and vegetables. If you are unable to chew your food thoroughly thanks to tooth loss, this can negatively affect your eating habits, ultimately resulting in poor dietary choices and indigestion. When you have dentures, you can chew your food more easily, giving you the freedom to enjoy a more expansive diet.
Preserves Oral Health
If you have healthy natural teeth, dentures can help to keep them in optimal shape. By filling in the gaps with a partial denture, you can keep the surrounding teeth from shifting around. Dentures also help to bear some of the weight of regular biting and chewing, limiting the wear and tear of your natural teeth.
Expands Opportunities
When attending interviews, negotiating sales, and attending social events, it is important to make a great first impression. Because your smile is one of the very first things that people notice about you, having a healthy-looking smile will do nothing but help. Studies have shown that the probability of being employed is negatively associated with having poor oral health.
Dentures Aftercare
Taking proper care of your dentures is important to ensure they stay comfortable and effective for their entire lifetime. Whether you have full or partial prosthetics, following a consistent cleaning and care routine helps maintain both your dentures and your overall oral health. At Derry Family Dentistry, we recommend a few simple aftercare steps to keep your smile bright and your dentures in top shape. So, read more below to see how you can keep your dentures bright and comfortable and avoid unpleasant dental issues.
Removeable Dentures
Remove After Eating
After each meal, it's best to remove and rinse off your dentures to eliminate food particles and prevent plaque buildup. This decreases the presence of bacteria in your mouth, reducing the risk of oral health issues and keeps your smile fresh. While cleaning, make sure to avoid using hot water, as it can warp the denture base and throw off its fit. If you want to go the extra mile, keep a small travel-sized toothbrush with you to help loosen debris while you’re out and about.
Clean Your Restoration
Use a soft-bristled brush with clear, unscented liquid soap or a designated denture cleanser to gently brush your prosthetics every day. Avoid regular toothpaste, as it contains mild abrasives that will wear down your prosthetics over time.
Be sure to get every surface, both the teeth and the base. If you’re not going to wear your dentures immediately after cleaning, store them in a container of water or denture-cleaning solution to prevent them from drying out and losing their shape.
Keep Your Dentures Safe
When cleaning your dentures, it’s best to place a towel or soft cloth underneath to protect them from accidental drops. Also, make sure to store your dentures out of reach of pets and children to prevent any damage or loss. Proper handling can extend the lifespan of your appliance and prevent costly repairs or replacements!
Remove When You Sleep
It’s vital to your health that you take your dentures out at night before going to bed. Wearing them while sleeping can restrict blood flow to your gums, leading to irritation and soft-tissue issues. Removing them also reduces the risk of respiratory issues like pneumonia that has been linked to an overabundance of oral bacteria entering the lungs. When you do take them out, keep them in a soaking solution overnight to ensure they stay moist and bacteria-free.
Notice Changes
Trust your instincts when it comes to discomfort, shifting, or changes in your appliances. If you notice sore spots, gum irritation, or if your dentures feel loose, reach out to our Derry Family Dentistry team for an adjustment. If your prosthetics break, never try to repair them yourself! This can cause further damage and possibly introduce harmful toxins to your mouth from common adhesives like superglue. Our team can effectively repair minor damage and have new dentures made if necessary.
Dentures FAQs
What is the average age for dentures?
Tooth loss does not discriminate when it comes to age. Patients of all ages can experience life without a full set of teeth; however, it’s not usual for dentures to primarily be found among individuals who are 40 years of age and older.
As you age, the need for prosthetic teeth gradually increases, but you and your dentist can discuss ways to reduce your risk and keep your natural teeth for longer.
Will it hurt to get dentures?
If tooth extraction is required before receiving custom dentures, it should not be a surprise that some mild discomfort is normal after surgery. However, an OTC pain reliever can help alleviate this problem, and you can begin to feel much better after about one week.
When initially receiving your dentures, you may find that they feel odd inside your mouth, but this is because your tongue, cheeks, gums, lips, and bone need to adjust. Minor irritation is normal during this time; however, if you eat soft foods and practice harder words and phrases while speaking slowly, you can speed up the adjustment phase. The important thing to remember though is that each person is different, so how long the discomfort may last will vary.
Should you notice that your discomfort is lasting longer each time you receive a new denture, make sure to call our office to speak to a member of our team. We’ll determine if they need to be adjusted or if there may be an additional oral health problem that needs to be addressed.
Why do my dentures smell?
Dentures can begin to smell because of bacteria that may be trapped in the various crevices underneath them. You may find that a stench occurs when your dentures do not fit correctly, making it easier for harmful particles to burrow into the areas between your prosthetic and gums.
Not only will your soft oral tissues become irritated, but sores and infections can form and lead to bad breath. It’s also possible that you may not produce as much saliva, which can result in dry mouth – a primary result of less saliva production that can make it easy for bacteria to accumulate.
Cleaning your dentures daily can help you avoid bad breath as well as ensure that your artificial teeth do not develop an odor. Soaking them every night in a denture cleanser can also be highly effective in ridding your prosthetics of harmful bacteria. Just make sure to rinse them before reinserting them in your mouth.
Do upper dentures always cover the palate?
Many patients struggle with the idea of receiving a full upper denture that covers the palate. The reason is that it makes it harder to taste food. If this is a serious concern, there is the option for an upper denture to be crafted without covering the palate. It can be fabricated in the shape of a horseshoe (similar to a lower denture). This type of design is what is expected when an individual opts to receive an implant denture.
If you want to avoid the potential of being unable to taste and enjoy the food you eat, inquire about a palateless hybrid upper denture from our dental team.