Most dentures will last 5 – 10 years. Well planned and executed dentures would tend to be towards the upper end of this range.
Some people have been wearing the same set for well beyond that, but generally an examination would reveal some problems that either required correcting, or a new set being made.
Over the years, your gums will change and repairs and maintenance to your denture are likely to be needed to help extend its life. This may be in the form of adding a tooth if you require a dental extraction, repairing a broken base, chipped tooth or a reline to ensure the denture is sitting down properly.
Many factors influence the success of your dentures (as you will find out in this series). How well you look after your dentures and your remaining teeth will certainly play an important part.
Every person is different and so is every mouth, so no two dentures are ever alike. Dentures are custom hand-crafted to meet the needs of a particular patient. Today, with the substantial advances in technique and technology, there are more options than ever including dental implants.
Dentures are made of durable, high quality, break resistant materials. However, no manufacturer offers a lifetime guarantee for their materials. For example, an accident can cause damage, and as with everything, there is normal wear and tear. At our Denture Clinic, we only use the highest quality materials for maximum durability and of course, to have you smiling again.
Dentures should never be worn 24 hours a day. A denture is an artificial appliance fitted against living tissue. It is best to give that tissue a chance to rest without pressure to maintain wellness. At least once a day you should remove your teeth and brush the mouth and gums with a very soft toothbrush. This stimulates circulation which helps maintain healthy tissue.
No one who wears dentures should ever bite off food with their front teeth. Regularly doing so will result in substantial soreness in the mouth, and there is no adjustment that can be made to eliminate the soreness. You can eat virtually everything you like but, you must use correct eating techniques.
Dentures are crafted to fit precisely without adhesives. However, in rare cases, individuals might have to use an adhesive if they have experienced excessive bone loss. Adhesives can also be used in an unexpected situation such as dentures coming loose when you do not have immediate access to a denture clinic. This is only a temporary solution. Prolonged usage can result in bone loss, damage to living tissue and substantial soreness. Instead, see a dental prosthetist as soon as possible to provide the solution that is right for you.
Use commercially approved denture powders, tablets or toothpaste and a good quality denture brush for cleaning. After cleaning, rinse dentures thoroughly in clear water. Ideally, clean them over a water-filled sink or towel to minimize the risk of breakage should they accidentally be dropped. For plaque and tartar, see a dental prosthetist for an ultrasonic cleaning. It is important to remember to only use cleaning products that are approved for use on dentures.
A Dental Implant is a small titanium screw which is placed in the gum and serves as the replacement for the root portion of a missing tooth. The implant will then bond with the bone over time and serve as an anchor for the replacement tooth or teeth. Dental Implants can be used to replace a single lost tooth or many missing teeth.
For some where a denture is acceptable, implants can be used to anchor the denture during function making it much more stable and eliminating the sore gums that many denture wearers experience.
Improved appearance: When you lose an entire tooth – crown and root – shrinkage of the jawbone may cause your face to look older. Dental implants can stop this process. A traditional denture or bridge doesn’t.
Maintained natural teeth: With traditional practices, two teeth adjacent to a missing tooth must be ground down to anchor a bridge. Dental implants often eliminate the need to modify healthy teeth.
Permanent solution: There are no loose parts to worry about. The implant is stable and comfortable and should serve its owner for life.
Most importantly, Dental Implants function, feel and look like natural teeth and problems with treatment are rare.
This is the most commonly asked question by patients contemplating this procedure. Placing the implant in the gum involves a minor surgical procedure that is carried out in the dental chair with local anaesthetic – the same as we use for fillings. Most patients say that the procedure is much easier than removing a tooth! There may be some discomfort afterwards depending on the number of implants placed, but mild pain killers easily control this.
For patients who are particularly nervous or where a lot of implants need to be placed at one time, various sedation techniques or general anaesthesia can be used.
With very few exceptions we find that most patients comment that the procedure was much easier than they expected.
There has now been almost forty years of research showing that implant treatment is both safe and reliable, even in medically compromised or elderly patients. Today, over a million people have had implants fitted and this has become a tried and tested method for replacing lost teeth.
The fee for tooth replacement with Dental Implants will depend on several factors, including the number of teeth being replaced and the number of implants required to support your replacement teeth.
Some additional procedures may be required prior to the placement of your Dental Implants to ensure the long-term health of implants. Typically, there is a fee for the surgical procedure and a separate fee for attaching the posts and constructing your replacement teeth. To obtain a specific fee estimate, it is necessary to have a doctor examine your mouth. After a thorough diagnostic examination, your dentist will recommend the treatment that is best for you.
There is a variation in types of implants and materials which can be used for treatment. At The Dental Practice, we only use what we consider to be the highest quality products which allows us to guarantee our work and provide the highest standard of treatment possible.