Dentures FAQ's in Natick MA
Is your smile incomplete? Dr. Christina Papageorgiou of Papageorgiou Dental Associates can help! Using custom-made partial or full dentures, our Natick MA dental team can help you overcome the variety of problems associated with multiple missing teeth. These problems can vary but often include difficulty speaking and eating, a loss of self-confidence, and even the reduction of bone in the jaw resulting from the loss of your tooth roots. The solution? Scheduling a consultation with us so we can learn about your unique dental needs and smile goals.
Why Choose Papageorgiou Dental Associates for Dentures in Natick MA?
- Implant placement performed in-house
- Convenient appointments
- Experienced dentist and friendly team
Who is a Good Candidate for Dentures
Are you in need of restorative care? The team at Papageorgiou Dental Associates would love to help. With a consultation and oral exam, we can help you understand your needs, propose a treatment plan that will help you, and answer any questions you might have. Dr. Papageorgiou and all our doctors want our patients from Natick MA and the surrounding areas to be completely comfortable with the care we propose, and excellent patient education is one of the best ways to do that!
What are the Types of Dentures
Whether you are missing a few of your molars, several teeth throughout your mouth, or an entire arch, it’s time to take the next step: schedule a consultation. From there, we can learn more about your dental history and review your treatment options. At our office, we’re proud to offer:
Partial Dentures
If you still have a few healthy, natural teeth, we don’t want to remove them. Instead, we want to fill the open spaces, resulting in a complete, strong, and beautiful smile. Fortunately, we can do just that with partial dentures! These restorations consist of multiple prosthetic teeth spread out on a gum-colored base and are typically held in place with discreet clips or brackets.
Full Dentures
Unlike partial dentures, full dentures are designed to replace an entire row of teeth. They also are typically held in place with suction or a denture adhesive, which ensures that your restoration doesn’t move when you’re chewing, talking, or laughing. Every aspect of yours will be custom-made to suit your face shape and aesthetic preferences too, ensuring it looks as good as it feels.
Implant Dentures
Of course, traditional dentures are just one option for patients to consider. Even more functionality can be achieved with implant dentures, which are dentures supported by dental implants. In addition to being anchored in place with prosthetic roots, this state-of-the-art tooth-replacement solution promotes bone growth in the jaw, restores the strength of your bite, and preserves your natural face shape!
What are The Benefits of Dentures
Dentures continue to be a popular restorative dental service because:
- They can fill a small gap or replace an entire row of teeth
- They are cost-effective
- They can last for a decade or more with proper care
- They are custom-made for each patient
- They can improve your confidence, bite, and speech
If you’re ready to face tooth loss head-on, then we look forward to meeting you! We’re proud to welcome patients from all over, including those looking for a denture dentist near Framingham, Wayland, and Sudbury.
Understanding the Cost of Dentures
No matter what dental procedure you’re in need of, one of the first questions that pops into most patients’ minds is, “How much will it cost?” At Papageorgiou Dental Associates, our team is here to help you through all of the nitty gritty details of your procedure, including cost estimates, filing insurance claims, and more. We want you to have a full, healthy smile, and we do everything within our power to make that accessible to you.
How Will My Mouth Feel With Dentures
As with anything we use on a regular basis such as spectacles or braces, there will be an adjustment period with dentures where they will feel strange and foreign. You may feel like you have a “full mouth.” There may be a hyperawareness of your lips being pushed forward; you may even feel like your teeth are too big and taking up too much space in your mouth. Your mouth, sensing that there is something inside, will likely mistake this to mean there is food present, and you may salivate more at first.
These feelings will eventually subside after about 14 days as your mouth adjusts to the new dentures. During this initial adjustment period, you may be advised to wear the dentures all the time, only taking them out for cleaning. Once the adjustment period is over, your dentist will consult with you on an appropriate time to remove your dentures for long periods of time to give your gums a rest. Normally this would be at night when it’s time to sleep.
Will Dentures Affect My Speech
If you’ve ever had the experience of wearing braces, then you know there was also an adjustment period where your speech patterns were affected. So, the answer here is “yes, at first.” The most likely phonetics to be affected at first will be “S,” “Sh,” “Th” and “Ch” sounds. This is because your tongue is now in a slightly different position from what you are used to. There may also be a new whistling or hissing sound that accompanies your speech.
Regular speaking will eventually retrain you to regain proper pronunciation of words. However, if you’d like to speed up this process, then either read out loud to yourself for a few days or be aggressive about a conversation in the initial days after you receive your dentures. You will eventually adjust to the differences, compensate, and speak normally.
How Will Dentures Affect Eating
In most cases, dentures will ultimately not affect your eating habits, but some retraining will be required. Some people adjust to eating with dentures after a few weeks. Others may take up to six months to feel comfortable. However, any food that requires hard biting down with the front teeth, such as corn on the cob, or an apple may always present some challenges.
More Denture FAQS
The average wait time is six to eight weeks, but it will ultimately depend on how well your mouth heals after tooth extraction and what type of dentures you’re getting. Everyone heals a little differently, so it’s important to rest as much as you need and be fully recovered. Plus, your dentures won’t fit properly if your gums are still irritated or inflamed!
The type of denture that requires the most recovery time after extraction is an implant denture. This is because osseointegration – the process where the implant posts will fuse with the jawbone – can take between three to six months.
Not necessarily, but if you accidentally drop your dentures on a hard countertop or floor, they could crack or chip, which can make them more prone to fracturing. If you notice minor damage, give us a call – we can usually repair small dents in just a few minutes. It’s better to have to contact us for a minor chip or crack than for a completely broken denture!
Of course, if you do happen to snap your dentures, we’ll gladly provide assistance. It just might take a little longer because we may have to replace your restoration entirely.
For the most part, yes. However, denture adhesives that contain zinc can be dangerous when used too frequently. You might ingest some of the zinc, which can quickly lead to an overdose and serious health problems. Always follow the instructions on the product label closely, and be sure to remove the adhesive from your mouth and dentures at the end of the day.
Over time, yes. Rest assured, we’ll customize your denture so that it fits your unique oral structure. But as you age, the shape of your jawbone will start to change. As it does, your dentures will become more and more loose, and you’ll likely notice more instances of slippage.
It’s important to replace or reline your dentures when they no longer fit – not just for your convenience, but also for your health! Ill-fitting dentures can cause sores and irritate your gums.
Please do not try to reline your dentures yourself! No matter how many social media influencers you’ve seen DIY the process, dentures should only be relined by a qualified professional. Relining requires special tools, precise measurements, and knowledge about the oral cavity. If you try to adjust your dentures yourself, you could end up with an even poorer fit, or you could accidentally damage your restoration.
As with any new addition to your daily living habits, practice will eventually lead to comfort and mastery of your new dentures. But if you have any specific questions or concerns about their use and care, you should always refer them to your dentist and get some reliable, professional advice. Contact our team at Papageorgiou Dental Associates today for more information.
Papageorgiou Dental Associates
959 Worcester St
Natick MA 01760
(508) 545-1126
OFFICE HOURS
Monday
8:00am - 4:00pm
Tuesday
8:00am - 5:00pm
Wednesday
12:00pm - 8:00pm
Thursday
10:00am - 2:00pm
Friday
8:00am - 3:00pm
Saturday & Sunday
Closed