Dentures

COMPLETE OR PARTIAL DENTURES ARE USED TO REPLACE SEVERAL MISSING NATURAL TEETH. Complete dentures replace total tooth loss, whereas partial dentures fill in gaps between natural remaining teeth.

Dentures can be fixed or removable. Patients who are wearing removable appliances, whether they are full dentures or partial dentures, usually seek treatment to improve one or a combination of the following areas:

• Comfort
• Function
• Appearance

Problems With Typical Removable Denture Treatment

Experience tells us that this area of dental treatment does not enjoy the predictability of other areas such as fillings and dental crowns. The fact that the basic approach to evaluating the patients needs and developing their appliances has changed very little in the last 100 years while other areas of dentistry have enjoyed tremendous advances has lead to this.

Because of this unpredictability, the patient who requires removable dentures has almost become a second class citizen in the dental world and, if for a multitude of reasons they are unable to proceed with the other options available, may actually be looked down on. To make matters worse, the modern approach to removable full dentures or partial dentures is to promote techniques that speed the process up to keep the cost as low as possible. Then when things don’t turn out well, the patient is typically told to get used to it.

The truth is that about 10-20% of people who wear removable dentures absolutely hate them and don’t wear them at all. The next segment (about 30-40%) wear their full dentures or partial dentures when they are out in public but the minute they are by themselves take them out and put them in their pocket until they have to eat. The remaining 60-40% are comfortable with their dentures and there is even a small group that absolutely loves them.

What makes the difference? Why do some people do better with removable dentures then others? We could say that the condition of the gum tissue, the amount of bone and its shape, the way the person holds their tongue, the type and amount of saliva, or the patient’s individual ability to adapt are the answers and they are. But the truthful answer is there is no definitive answer.

That is why the approach as taught leads to problems because all people are approached the same way. They have impressions made. They have things tried in and then they get their dentures. If they fall into the group that have the right bone, saliva, tongue position and all the other things in the right mixture they may fall in to the people who are comfortable and even love them. If they don’t, then what?

The Academy Dental Care Approach To Removable Dentures

Waldorf dentist Dr. Tim Modic uses a different approach to this situation. He uses a more time consuming, individualized and sophisticated treatment that starts with a trial denture. The patient wears this trial full denture with a tissue conditioning liner while the above situations are dealt with. There is no set number of appointments because until this trial denture meets the agreed upon expectations between Dr. Modic and the patient, the finished denture is not made. While wearing the trial denture it can be adjusted and modified. The patient gets to experience the denture while their comfort, function and appearance are being evaluated. When these are as good as they can get, then this blue print denture is used to fabricate the finished denture. This treatment, which requires the patient’s participation, leads to a more predictable outcome.

Implant Supported Dentures

Another option Dr. Modic, a dentist in Mechanicsville MD, offers is implant supported dentures. With implant supported dentures, a complete or partial denture can be secured to the jawbone through titanium implants. Implant supported dentures are more secure but the denture appliance is still removable to allow for proper oral care and hygiene. All the issues that denture wearers usually complain about with removable dentures are eliminated with implant supported dentures.

If complete or partial dentures are something you’ve been looking into to restore your smile, contact our office in Mechanicsville, MD in the Waldorf area today for more information. We can also show you the benefits of our method of fitting your dentures and also how implant supported dentures can improve the function and feel of removable dentures.