Dentures / Partial Dentures Specialist
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Cumberland Denture Center
Denture Specialist & General Dentistry located in Corbin, KY
Missing teeth make eating, speaking, and smiling difficult and uncomfortable. Fortunately, Paula Gill, DMD, and the expert team at Cumberland Denture Center in Corbin, Kentucky, can create a comfortable set of dentures that allow you to eat your favorite foods without pain, to speak clearly, and to smile confidently. To learn more about the benefits of dentures, call Cumberland Denture Center or schedule an appointment online today.
Dentures / Partial Dentures Q & A
What are dentures?
Dentures are removable prosthetic teeth designed to replace missing teeth. They help restore your smile and make it easier to chew and speak when you don’t have any natural teeth left in your mouth. The main kinds of dentures are:
Conventional dentures
Conventional dentures, also called full dentures, replace all the teeth in your mouth, so any teeth you have left must be removed before they’re created. With conventional dentures, your prosthetic teeth are attached to an acrylic pink base that fits over your gums and the roof of your mouth.
Partial dentures
A partial denture is recommended when you still have some healthy teeth left in your mouth. These removable appliances are attached to the base of a discrete metal framework or a thermoplastic material. While partial dentures do attach to a gum-colored base, they don’t fit over the roof of your mouth like conventional dentures.
Why would I need dentures?
Even one missing tooth can put you at risk of needing extensive dental work down the road. When you have a missing tooth, the surrounding teeth often begin to shift to fill in the gap. This leads to crooked teeth and crowding, which can result in tooth decay — even further tooth loss.
Missing teeth also cause bone shrinkage in the jaw and can lead to gum recession. Without proper treatment, your face can begin to appear sunken, as it no longer has the support of your jawbone.
In addition to tooth decay and crowding, missing teeth can affect your overall health. Some of the most common health conditions and diseases linked to missing teeth include:
- Heart disease
- Gum disease
- TMJ disorders
- Stroke
- Clogged arteries
- Sleep apnea
- Teeth grinding
Missing teeth can even cause women to give birth prematurely.
Over time, missing teeth can affect your ability to chew and speak comfortably, so it’s important to contact your dentist if you lose a tooth.
How are dentures created?
After any damaged teeth are removed from your mouth, it takes 8-12 weeks for your gums and tissues to heal. Your Cumberland Denture Center provider then takes highly accurate impressions of your mouth to serve as a mold for your dentures.
Your denture specialist and lab technicians work together to design and create a set of dentures that fit your mouth perfectly and truly look and feel like your natural teeth. Over the next 2 weeks, the team has you come in to try on your dentures regularly to ensure the fit is perfect.
With regular cleaning and proper care, your dentures can last for more than eight years. If you think dentures are right for you, call the experts at Cumberland Denture Center or book a consultation online.