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Our Denture Services
Below is a quick overview of our most-requested services. Click to expand each section. If you don’t see what you need, please request an appointment and we’ll be glad to help.
Nothing man-made will ever be a perfect substitute for natural, healthy, teeth, and yet dentistry has made great progress in developing solutions for their loss. Complete Dentures are one of the most common of those solutions, designed to replace a full set of natural teeth. Though they cannot be expected to do everything the natural teeth once may have done, when used sensibly and cared for properly, Complete Dentures enable you to eat and speak with comfort and confidence.
Made specifically to suit an individual’s needs based on the shape of the mouth and face, Complete Dentures are designed to support the lips and cheeks, giving a natural appearance. Once you’ve received your new Complete Dentures, you can expect it will take some time to get used to them. Normally it takes 2 weeks to adapt to an upper denture, though a lower denture can take as long as 2–3 months because it is constantly being moved around by your tongue. During this time, you may experience sore spots, or the bite may not feel quite like it should. In that case you will need to call your Denturist to come and make the proper adjustments at no extra cost. With each adjustment the denture will settle in more, sometimes requiring additional adjustments. These are a normal part of the progressive fitting process.
Though you will develop comfort with your new Complete Dentures, eventually the time will come for them to be replaced. Denturists recommend replacement every 5–7 years for two main reasons: (1) In the absence of natural teeth, gums shrink over time. As this progresses, dentures become loose and ultimately will not fit as well as they should. Even when a person feels after 7 years that their dentures fit just fine, the developed comfort is only because the mouth has adapted to the denture through all its changes. Despite that comfort, even unnoticeably, the denture will still rock back and forth, beating at the gums and causing them to shrink at an even faster rate. In contrast, when fit properly, a denture protects your gums from shrinking as quickly because the denture teeth take all the pressure of chewing. (2) By the 7th year, the denture’s teeth will have started to wear. By that point it requires greater movement in order for you to close your mouth and for your teeth to contact. The result is a strain on your jawbone which can cause joint problems and even headaches.
Partial dentures consist of 1 to 13 teeth and fill in the gaps where you have had teeth removed... The longer you go without covering the area that is now vacant, the more the gums begin to shrink.
Plastic partials have no metal clasps... Metal partials are stronger and more secure.
An Immediate Denture is a denture that is designed and made before your natural teeth are extracted. After extraction, it is generally recommended that you wait for 6–8 weeks before receiving your new dentures; this allows your gums to heal well. For some people for whom the 6–8 week wait is simply not possible, an Immediate Denture can offer an alternative.
Inserted on the same day as your teeth are extracted, Immediate Dentures are more expensive than a denture being made for someone who has had their teeth out for a while.
It’s important to understand that because the gums are not healed before the denture is inserted, the reduction in swelling during the healing process means that the gums will shrink inside the denture. In that case it is not uncommon for the Immediate Denture to require a ‘reline’—perhaps more than one—depending on your gums and how they heal. Relines are an extra cost if needed.
There are also some cases where relines simply cannot compensate for the gums’ shrinkage after the extraction. In that instance, a new denture may be necessary. While not every situation is like this, it’s nevertheless important to weigh out this possibility when deciding to go ahead with an Immediate Denture after an extraction. Each patient’s mouth is different and heals differently, especially depending on the number of teeth extracted and the deepness of the roots.
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is placed into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth, bridge or denture. Dental implants may be an option for people who have lost a tooth or teeth due to periodontal disease, an injury, or some other reason. Regular dentures rely on the gums for suction whereas an implant‑supported denture is held in securely by implants.
To find out if you are a candidate for implants you would go to an oral surgeon who will take x‑rays and do an oral exam. If your bone ridge has shrunk significantly, it can normally be corrected with a bone graft which will build up on your bone to allow a successful implant to be placed.
There are two types of implant‑supported dentures: bar‑retained and ball‑retained. In both cases, the denture will be made of an acrylic base that will look like gums. Porcelain or acrylic teeth that look like natural teeth are attached to the base. Both types of dentures need at least two implants for support.
Bar‑retained dentures — A thin metal bar that follows the curve of your jaw is attached to two to five implants that have been placed in your jawbone. Clips or other types of attachments are fitted to the bar, the denture or both. The denture fits over the bar and is securely clipped into place by the attachments.
Ball‑retained dentures — Each implant in the jawbone holds a metal attachment that fits into an attachment in the denture. It is more successful if you get 4 implants rather than 2 so the plate is sturdy, like a table with 4 legs instead of 2. The clips or other attachments in the denture are usually replaced every 6 to 12 months. They are made of a plastic material (nylon) and will wear after continued use.
Advantages include increased ability to chew, no denture movement while laughing or sneezing, and increased confidence to smile naturally. The success rate of this procedure is very high with most patients finding dramatic improvements in their abilities to wear dentures. Cleaning and care of your implant denture is the same as a regular denture; you should remove it daily to clean the denture and gum area as well. You should not sleep with implant‑supported dentures at night.
When you initially receive your new dentures you will find that many daily routines will change. Talking or eating may prove difficult, and you may find that there doesn’t seem to be enough suction at first.
Speaking: When speaking, your tongue moves along the top slope of your mouth. With new dentures, the slope may change. Practice words with S’s and T’s. Words such as ‘Mississippi’ and ‘triple‑triple’ are more difficult to say, and so they can help you develop confidence with your speech. You may want to read out loud for a while until your tongue adjusts to speaking with your new dentures. You don’t need to be embarrassed; most likely, you will be the only one who notices!
Eating: Eating may be difficult at first because your teeth will contact differently than your natural teeth did. Try taking only small amounts of food with each bite and chew them slowly so your mouth can adapt to the new teeth. If you find that the denture moves around too much when you are eating, it may be helpful to place food on both sides of your mouth and chew. This causes equal pressure all the way around instead of all on one side.
Suction: In most cases, your denture will not initially have the amount of suction you were hoping for. Dentures need time to settle in and adapt to your mouth… It normally takes 24–48 hours for the first ‘settling in’ of a denture to take place. Once you’ve received your new denture, you may experience sore spots or the bite may not feel quite like it should. Call your Denturist for adjustments at no extra cost. Adjustments are a normal part of the progressive fitting process.
Don’t be discouraged — dentures take time and adjustments are common.
Dentures, like natural teeth, must be kept clean and free from deposits to avoid permanent staining. Rinse in warm (not hot) water and rinse your mouth after every meal. Do not use toothpaste; it can scratch the denture. Use denture cream or a mild detergent on a denture brush. Consider placing water in the sink while cleaning to cushion accidental drops.
Each night, use a denture cleanser (powder, liquid, or tablet) mixed with water per the manufacturer’s instructions, after brushing off food debris. Soak for several hours or overnight. Occasionally, undiluted vinegar can help with persistent stains or calculus. For tough stains, contact your Denturist for a professional clean. When not wearing your dentures, leave them soaking to maintain moisture.
Although dentures keep their shape, your mouth is constantly changing. Bone can recede and shrink, and the mouth’s shape can change with age or weight loss. As that happens, dentures can become loose or less stable, impairing chewing or deepening facial lines or wrinkles. Adhesives may help temporarily, but a loosening denture signifies natural resorption of bone and prolonged use can speed bone loss. Consult your Denturist about a reline.
There are two types of relines. Soft relines cushion sensitive tissues and may need redo every 6–12 months. Hard relines fill in areas where gums have shrunk with durable material that lasts longer, though future relines may still be needed as gums change.
We perform denture repairs and will advise if same‑day service is possible based on the case.
When teeth are fine but the base is worn, a rebase replaces the acrylic base using a fresh impression while retaining your original denture teeth.