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If you have had dentures for a while, you may feel very comfortable taking dentures out and putting them in. You may feel you know everything there is to know about dentures and denture care. However, did you know that it is possible your dentures may need to be relined? If you aren’t sure what that means, we have some information for you.

Dentures

Dentures are prosthetic devices that take the place of your natural teeth. You may have lost your teeth due to accidents or injuries. You could also lose your dentures due to tooth decay or gum disease. Dentures are made of plastic, composite materials and porcelain. They are made to be strong and long lasting. Over time, however, your dentures may not fit as properly as they once did. This may be because your gum tissue is shrinking over time. It could also be because the bone underlying your gums has lost density as well. Disease can also cause your gums to shrink.

What to Look For

There are some things you can look for to see if your dentures need relining. When we reline your dentures, we place material in your dentures that will make your dentures fit easier, and the dentures will hug your gums more snugly. If you notice that your gums are irritated–which means they will be a darker pink or red than they normally are–it may mean it is time to bring your dentures in for relining. You might also notice that you have sores on your gums, which makes your dentures painful to wear. Mouth ulcers happen because your dentures are rubbing up against your gums instead of fitting against them snugly. If your gums appear to be a different color other than pink, you may have a fungal infection as well. You need to come in and have your dentures checked. Once your dentures are relined, you will feel much better when you chew with your dentures. Do you have questions about relining your dentures? Give us a call today.

Dental implants are a three-part system that can help to restore your smile to its natural look. The three parts dental implants consist of are a screw, an abutment, and a custom-made crown. The screw is attached to your jawbone.

The abutment attaches to the screw and is the piece that supports the crown. The crown can be made of various materials, but the most common material crowns are made of is porcelain or a hard resin.

Getting a dental implant is the only dental procedure that is restorative which makes it one of the best methods for improving your oral health. Because of the materials dental implants are made of, they are very durable and can last a long time. However, dental implants so require some special attention after they have been installed because there is the possibility for failure which would make their removal necessary.

Care for Dental Implants

Like your teeth, dental implants need to be cared for daily. This mean flossing and brushing twice daily as well as making regular visits to our office for dental cleanings every six months. Taking care of dental implants is particularly important because there is a chance that they can fail due to bacterial infection. When dental implants fail, they need to be removed and it may be some time before a new one can be installed.

Alongside normal dental care, dental implants require you to stay away from certain foods when possible. Since the crown on a dental implant is made of material that is more brittle than natural teeth, hard foods and ice can make them chip and crack more easily than natural teeth. However, dental implants are very durable if these steps and precautions are taken. If you have any more questions about dental implants, give us a call. We’ll be happy to talk about the options available to you.

Getting a root canal may seem scary to some, but it is a necessary step when severe tooth decay and infection have taken over a tooth. The ultimate goal of a root canal is to clean an infected tooth and prevent further infection by installing a crown.

Luckily, the procedure is not as painful as it may seem. In most cases, getting a root canal is a simple procedure which only requires local anesthetic.

After a root canal is completed, you will have mild pain in your mouth for a few days. The pain will go away as the area heals over time and you can expect to be able to eat normally again. Tissue around the area the root canal was performed will be swollen and inflamed, and there could be a little blood. If these problems persist, it will be necessary to contact us as soon as possible because your teeth and gums may become infected again.

Is There Pain After the Healing Process Is Completed?

When a root canal is performed, the tissue and pulp underneath the tooth is removed. In this tissue and pulp there are a lot of nerve endings that help your tooth detect pressure and temperature. When the infected pulp and tissue is removed during your root canal, some of the nerves in your tooth are removed with it.

In the few months after a root canal, you may experience numbness in the tooth you had the root canal, but this is normal. Typically, the numb feeling will go away and the nerves in the surrounding teeth will compensate for the lack of nerves in the tooth that had a root canal. Once this happens, you will hardly be able to notice a difference between the feeling of the tooth that had a root canal and your other teeth.

Please give us call if you have any more question. If you have been dealing with pain for more than two weeks after your root canal, please set up a consultation appointment as soon as possible so that we can help you.

A dental crown is a fixed device cemented onto your existing teeth by a prosthodontist. Because it generally covers the entire tooth, or ‘caps’ it, a crown is a good restoration procedure for significantly damaged teeth, as long as extraction is ruled out.

Many times, a temporary crown is needed to protect your damaged or decayed tooth while a permanent crown is made in the lab, but there are other reasons to get a temporary crown.

Benefits of a Temporary Crown

Your temporary crown does more than just protect the exposed and damaged areas of your tooth while your permanent one is being made. It also keeps your teeth from shifting, makes your tooth less sensitive, provides aesthetic function, and helps you chew. In addition, a temporary crown can work as a diagnostic test, to see if a cracked tooth can withstand the investment of a permanent.

Proper Care for Temporary Crowns

Treat your crown just as you would your natural teeth by brushing and flossing 2 times a day for 2 minutes, rinsing thoroughly around the crowned tooth. When leaving the dentist, wait an hour before eating, so the cement can set. Avoid sticky foods altogether with temporary crowns, however, as they can pull the crown from your tooth.

It’s also ideal if you can avoid chewing on that side of your mouth as much as possible. If your temporary crown comes off, don’t waste any time contacting our office to schedule getting a replacement. Trying to tough it out can result in sensitivity, pain and damage to your teeth or gums.

Temporary crowns provide protection for your natural teeth until a permanent crown is fabricated, or it is determined that the tooth either has to be extracted or can be restored with a permanent crown. Never hesitate to contact our office with any questions or concerns about your temporary or permanent crown.

Removable dentures can improve your quality of life in various ways, including normal chewing and confidence in your smile.

Depending on your specific needs, our office can design a partial denture that is reliable, durable, and perfectly fitted.

Removable partial dentures may have natural-looking framework, or it may be metal with clasps. In some instances, however, a removable denture can be attached to your existing teeth with what are known as precision attachments. With all of these devices to trap food debris, you want to ensure that you clean your removable dentures thoroughly every day.

Proper Cleaning for Removable Dentures

First, make sure to take your dentist’s recommendation for your denture cleaning tablets. Always stand over a sink of water or a soft surface like a folded towel when cleaning your denture, in case it slips out of your hands. Never use toothpaste, as it can be too abrasive for all parts of your removable denture.

Brush your denture every day to prevent buildup of plague and food deposits, and this will keep your denture from being permanently stained. Use a brush specifically designed for cleaning dentures, and always use a brush with soft bristles. Rinse well with running water, then apply denture cleaner and brush gently. Finally, keep your removable denture moist at all times to keep its shape, and soak it in your cleaning solution overnight each night.

Removable Denture Adjustments

Over time, you may have to get your partial denture adjusted. This is because your mouth naturally changes as you age, affecting the fit of your denture. Wearing an improperly fitting removable denture can cause your gums to recede, so It’s important to contact our office if you feel you need to have the fit adjusted. In addition, an ill-fitting denture can result in sores and infections.

Considering a removable denture to restore your smile? Please contact our office with any questions or concerns.

Getting dentures can transform your smile and make eating much more pleasant again. However, you do have to make certain that your dentures fit. If you put in a pair of dentures that are too large, too small, or aren’t the right shape for your mouth, it can lead to sores, a painful time chewing, and even difficultly speaking.

Instead of going with a standard pair of dentures, you need to have custom dentures made that perfectly fit your mouth. Here are a few ways custom dentures will improve your oral health.

No More Sores

Custom dentures are designed to fit perfectly in your mouth. This means they won’t be too loose and won’t rub against your gums in a painful fashion. You won’t develop denture sores or feel any pain when you bite down. Without bleeding denture sores, you won’t be giving bacteria an entryway into your gums, reducing the number of infections you have to deal with.

This will protect you from a number of different illnesses, some of which don’t even appear in your mouth. Infections can easily spread from the gums throughout your body without you being aware of it.

Speaking Isn’t Difficult

Another issue with ill-fitting dentures is that they can make it harder to speak normally. With custom dentures, that won’t be the case. They fit perfectly in your mouth and feel like your old teeth did, so you won’t need as much time adjusting to how they feel in your mouth. This also means that you’ll adjust to eating with your dentures fairly quickly, too. They won’t shift when you chew or bite down on anything.

These are just a few of the ways that custom dentures can help improve your oral health and make eating easier. If you have any questions about custom dentures, contact us today and we’ll provide you with answers.

Also known as false teeth, dentures are of great importance to a lot of people. Especially if you have been in an accident or simply had to have your teeth removed for one reason or another, dentures are convenient.

They help you get back the natural feeling of functionality for your teeth and also help you with aesthetics since the dentures look so realistic it’s often impossible to tell them apart by just looking. However, just like regular teeth, your dentures could be a source of bad breath if you don’t take care of them well enough. Here are a few reasons why your dentures can be the cause of your bad breath.

Tartar And Plaque

Just like healthy teeth, dentures do collect tartar and plaque if they are left alone. When someone doesn’t take good care of their teeth, traces of the above substances begin to form on the outer shell of the dentures. With time, they grow, and their impact on the mouth can be felt more strongly. Just like your natural teeth, daily cleaning is a must. When you clean every day, you eliminate the chance of having bad breath altogether.

Food Particles

If you do not take the dentures out to soak them and brush them, bacteria in the mouth begin breaking it down for its food, and as a byproduct, sulfur is released, which then causes a terrible odor. It is also important to inspect your dentures regularly and remove any unwanted debris from between the false teeth as this too can lead to unpleasant odors.

Although dentures can give you back what you think was lost when your teeth fell off, they can also be a source of great distress. If you are thinking about getting dentures or have been having issues with the ones you have, book an appointment today and let us take care of you. Our professionals will make sure that you leave our offices with a big smile on your face.

There are always ways to avoid stained dentures or teeth. Knowing more about the ways you can clean your teeth and reduce the chances of staining can help you keep your teeth whiter and brighter. Many things that you don’t think about might be doing more damage than you think.

Here are some of the best tips that come from our office that you can use to your advantage to reduce those stains.

Tips for Avoiding Stained Dentures

Stop smoking if at all possible. The nicotine and tar that are found in cigars and cigarettes can cause the teeth to stain. Wine, grapes, strawberries, and other deep red staining products are common when considering staining. Drinking grape juice or wine through a straw is often recommended to reduce the staining.

Rinse and brush your teeth after eating anything. This is because the dentures can hold this bacteria and staining material on the outside of them. Leaving this material there can cause the area to stain deeper. Make sure to soak your dentures overnight. If you skip this process, you will find that they become dry and stained easier and quicker than if you soak them.

Always take care of them with the instructions we provide from our office. This will keep them in the best shape possible. If you have questions about staining or care, call our office and we can provide further information. All of these tips are not only great for dentures, but our dentists and hygienists also state that they are great tips for natural teeth to stay whiter and brighter, as well.

If you need a cleaning performed, or just need an exam, then speak with us today to learn more. You can schedule an appointment with our office to come in for the cleaning and exam you are in need of. Call us today.

Partial dentures are sometimes something that is needed when a few teeth are required in the mouth instead of all the teeth. Patients come to our office for a set of partial dentures from time to time, because they want to fill in the gaps in the teeth and smile with more confidence and ease.

This type of denture does come with different option types depending on the situation of the patient. Here are some of the types you can expect to come across.

Light Alloy Dentures

These lighter dentures are placed on metal and can be clipped into the mouth. These teeth are then filled into the gaps of the teeth missing.

Plastic Dentures

Plastic is a durable option for those that want something that is not metal. It sits in the mouth in the same way, but slips into the area with ease and is easy to clean off.

Flexible Dentures

These are often given when a person wants dentures that fit well inside the mouth, are comfortable, and flex along with the mouth. Sometimes these are needed when the mouth is smaller than normal, or perhaps have a different shape.

Hypoallergenic Dentures

These clips inside the mouth, move with it, and do not irritate the mouth as much as some of the other options might.

The type of partial dentures that fit to the patient depends on the patient and their unique situation. The number of teeth that have to be replaced, their personal preference, budget, and more. With the right exam, our dentists can provide the information needed to figure out which might be the best ones for you to go with.

If you’re ready to find out more about the partial dentures we can offer you right here in our office, then give us a call today to learn more. We can schedule you an appointment to come in and speak with our professionals about the partial dentures available.

Dental implant failure can be caused by a variety of reasons. Dental implant failure can be broken into two categories: short term failure and long-term failure. Short-term failure is characterized as symptoms of failure occurring within a short time after dental implants are installed. Symptoms of dental implant failure are swollen gums, irritation of gums, loose teeth, and severe pain.

These symptoms may not be noticeable right away, but over time they will become more pronounced. These symptoms may indicate a failure of the implant to heal properly or a rejection of the implant. It is important to catch symptoms of dental failure as soon as possible so your dental implants do not become jeopardized.

Long-term failure has many of the same symptoms, but is characterized as failure occurring after the healing process is completed. Long-term failure can be a result of infection, broken implants, and the use of certain medication. Unfortunately, if an implant fails it is very difficult to resolve the issue and may require extensive treatment.

Medications and Failure

Since medication is generally a result of long-term failure, it is possible that if you began taking a new medication after your dental implants have been installed it is the source of the problem. Common medications that have negative interactions with dental implants are antidepressants, antibiotics, and NSAIDs. Some of these medications can result in bone loss in the jaw and put your implants at risk of failure. It is always important to consult your doctor before taking new medications under these categories and to also discuss their chances of causing dental implant failure.

If you are experiencing signs of dental implant failure, it is important to act immediately. We pride ourselves on great dental care and would be happy if you came in for a visit. We will be able to discuss any current medications you are taking as well as sight any problems with them. If you think your dental implant failure is not due to a medication, we can discuss and assess other possibilities as well.