What Modern Dentures Can Do For You

One of the most exciting things about the practice of dentistry is how quickly and frequently technology transforms the way dentists in Flagstaff can serve their patients. In recent years, preventative, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry solutions to help you stay healthy and achieve your personal goals have multiplied. Sometimes, though — just as in music, movies, and cuisine — the venerable classics that have served people well for generations get overlooked. What’s the equivalent of a classic Sinatra LP in the world of dentistry? Dentures.

When was the last time you gave dentures any real consideration as a solution to your tooth loss experience? When you did, what did you imagine they would look like? We can guess — rigid, hard, clunky, loose, precarious, and fake. We get it. Dentures have served a lot of people well, but comfortable, discreet, and natural have not always been words that spring to mind when the topic of dentures comes up. Until now.

If you’re looking for solutions for tooth loss — complete or partial — you deserve to know all the facts about all your options. Here’s the latest information about dentures in Flagstaff, and how they can respond to your dental needs.

Five things you need to know about dentures in Flagstaff

Dentures can come in full or partial sets, depending on whether you are looking to replace all or just some of your teeth. You’ll work with a dentist in Flagstaff to design your dentures to match any remaining teeth and suit your mouth and face.

Denture materials have changed. Porcelain and plastic dentures are a thing of the past. Today, dentures are made of resin (the teeth) and a flexible polymer (the gums). You can extend the life of your dentures by caring for them carefully, but replacement is recommended approximately every five years to ensure they fit and function properly.

If you’re gradually losing teeth or your existing teeth are wearing down, switching to dentures can prevent infections and eliminate pain.

Dentures do not require adhesive. Modern dentists are fit so perfectly to your mouth and jaw that they’re effectively held in place by suction.

With modern dentures, you can eat just about anything you want with three primary exceptions: sticky foods, hard foods, and gum.

What are the key advantages and disadvantages of dentures?

• On the plus side, dentures can free you from discomfort and pain while eating
• Dentures can restore your youthful appearance if your tooth loss has added years to your appearance by giving your face a sunken and hollow-cheeked appearance due to the loss of support and bone structure
• You’ll no longer be tempted to hide your missing teeth, or avoid intimate and close moments
• On the downside, dentures obviously are not natural teeth, though your dentist in Flagstaff will help you to design dentures that blend naturally with your jaw and face
• Replacing dentures as your face and mouth change with age can be a nuisance, but is essential to maintaining the best possible fit and fullest possible function
• Dentures can be expensive, although you can not dispute their value when considered in light of a life without teeth and all the implications of that

Dentures in Flagstaff come in many shapes and styles to solve a variety of dental needs — partial dentures, complete dentures, and all-on-four dentures anchored to implants. As you consider your options for resolving tooth loss, think carefully about the solution offered by modern dentures. If you have questions about how dentures can help change your life, get in touch with a dentist in Flagstaff to get all the answers you need.