Dentures – Lillington, NC

Who's a Good Candidate for Dentures?

If you are interested in rebuilding your smile with dentures, you likely have an important question on your mind: Am I a good candidate? If that’s the case, you’ll be happy to hear that this tried-and-true tooth-replacement solution is quite versatile. So, don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation with us. In the meantime, you can read on to learn more on the topic, including the effects of missing teeth and the qualities we look for in a good dentures candidate.

Effects of Missing Teeth

Oftentimes, patients assume the negative effects of tooth loss begin and end with appearance. The truth is that the spaces in your smile left behind by missing teeth can impact your oral health and general well-being as well. For example, it’s harder to bite and chew without two complete arches, and you might develop gastrointestinal issues from swallowing overly large pieces that can’t be easily digested. You might also develop changes to your speech patterns, like a lisp, that make communication more challenging. For all of those reasons, we recommend scheduling a consultation with us sooner rather than later.

What Qualifies You for Dentures?

Although dentures are quite versatile, you must consult Dr. Butler to ensure you’re a good candidate. During your visit, he will review your dental history, examine your mouth, and learn about your daily habits. Then, he can discuss the different tooth-replacement solutions we offer and help you decide if dentures are the best one for you.

Important note: If any pre-existing issues are found during the exam that might interfere with the results, like gum disease, then the necessary restorative care will need to be provided first.

Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options

Rebuilding your grin with a customized set of dentures allows you to overcome many of the changes to your abilities that developed after you lost one or more of your teeth. However, they aren’t for everyone. If we decide for one reason or another that they aren’t the best smile-rebuilding solution for you, then we will discuss the other ones we offer, including:

• Dental Bridges – If you are missing only one tooth, then we may recommend a dental bridge. The restoration is secured in place with two custom dental crowns, which are bonded to the two teeth surrounding the gap. Only the best dental materials are used, and they are customized to suit your unique face shape, dental needs, and smile goals, so it will look and feel extremely natural.
• Dental Implants – Dental implants are widely loved by dentists and patients alike since they replace both the root and crown of the tooth. They also help prevent bone loss, preserve your youthful face shape, and have a long lifespan. Plus, they can help patients at all different stages of tooth loss, including those who don’t have any of their natural teeth left.

Types of Dentures

There are three types of dentures, and the proper treatment for you depends significantly on your unique circumstances and the number of teeth that have been lost. Once you’ve consulted Dr. Butler, he can recommend one of the following options based on his findings.

Partial Dentures

Those who have lost a few teeth sporadically throughout their mouths may benefit from partial dentures. These restorations consist of an acrylic base that contains metallic clips that anchor to healthy teeth in your mouth. They include the necessary number of pontics (artificial teeth) to close the spaces in your smile.

Full Dentures

If you’ve lost all or most of your natural teeth, you will likely require a complete set of dentures. These have an acrylic, gum-colored base containing a complete arch of replacement teeth customized to resemble the ones that went missing. They rely on a firm suction against your connective tissues to remain in place, so you must have sufficiently healthy gums to proceed.

Implant Dentures

Dental implants are the only options that are surgically placed into your jaw and eventually fuse with the bone to become a more permanent part of your mouth. Four to eight of these rods can be placed to anchor a lifelike set of dentures, which are less likely to become destabilized or dislodged over time.

The Benefits of Dentures

Replacing your missing teeth with dentures provides many helpful benefits, such as:

• Lifelike results. Your restoration is carefully customized to resemble your natural teeth and gums so you look and feel like the most attractive version of yourself.
• Improved bite force. This treatment returns a portion of your chewing power so you can enjoy more wholesome foods to support your oral and overall health.
• Enhanced enunciation. It can take about a month to adjust to the presence of your new teeth, but then you can overcome any changes to your speech resulting from tooth loss.
• Protect remaining teeth. If you have natural teeth remaining, they’re unfortunately prone to shifting out of alignment to fill in empty spaces, which can cause cavities or injuries. Wearing dentures ensures everything remains in its rightful place to prevent this.
• Cost-effective solution. Not only is this option often the most affordable, but our practice gladly welcomes dental insurance and offers flexible payment plans to help manage out-of-pocket expenses.