Losing your teeth can impact your smile and confidence. Also, you may not enjoy the same comfort while eating and talking to others. There are many treatments available for replacing lost and missing teeth. While dental implants are the new-age option for many patients, not everyone is an ideal candidate. If you have visited a dentist in Downtown Chicago who has advised getting dentures, consider reading the details below before you agree to the treatment.
What are dentures?
Dentures are removable restorative appliances that replace lost teeth and surrounding tissues. Dentures are made to look like your natural teeth and offer the same functions. If you are missing all of your teeth, you will need complete dentures, which will replace an entire arch of lost teeth. The other option is a partial denture, which replaces a few missing teeth. Partial dentures are handy for ensuring that the remaining teeth don’t move from their respective places.
Types of dentures
A set of complete dentures could be either immediate or conventional. If you get traditional dentures, you will have to wait for up to six weeks for the dental lab to make a set. During this time, you will have no teeth. Today, dentists can order immediate dentures in advance, placed as soon as the teeth are removed. The tissues in your mouth will heal and shrink, which means you will need to come back for adjustments if you get immediate dentures.
Are dentures the only option?
No, there are several restorative procedures that your dentist may consider. For instance, if you wish to get a permanent set of teeth and prevent loss of bone mass, you can think of dental implants. Implants have a few advantages over dentures, but the procedure may mean waiting a long time to get replacement teeth. If you are missing just one or two teeth, your dentist may recommend a bridge.
The procedure of getting dentures
You will need a few appointments to get dentures. Your dentist will take impressions of your bite to make molds, which are sent to a lab to get new dentures. You will have to come back and try the set as many times as required, and adjustments will be made for color and fit. During the final appointment, your dentist will show you how to use the dentures and care for them.
After the treatment, you may have some soreness, but it will get better in a few days.
