Longview Dental CenterDentures - Longview, Tx
Longview's Dentures Lab for Dentures and Partial Dentures
For hundreds of years, dentures have allowed dentists to renew patients’ smiles following advanced tooth loss. Unfortunately, dentures have gotten a bad reputation for making patients look older and fitting poorly. Today, dentures are crafted from higher quality materials and fitted correctly to ensure patients experience ultimate comfort and great denture function. At Longview Dental Center, we are dedicated to creating dentures that look, feel, and function more like natural teeth. In fact, our skilled team has an in-office denture lab where we hand craft our patients’ custom partial and full dentures. If you’d like to find out more about our in-office lab and how it can improve your dentistry experience, give our knowledgeable team a call. We’ll schedule your appointment and help you better understand all of your treatment options.
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures are crafted using a gum colored base material to support numerous replacement teeth. The prosthetic is formed to fit snuggly between the remaining teeth recreating lost dental structure. Partials are held in position by metal clasps that attach to remaining healthy teeth.
Full Dentures
Full dentures are also crafted using a gum colored base material to support replacement teeth. Without surrounding teeth to support the full denture, the prosthetic is formed to fit against the gums creating natural suction that holds the full denture in place. Some patients also use a small amount of denture adhesive to improve the stability of their prosthetic.
The Traditional Denture Process
Traditionally, dentures are crafted over the course of several dental office visits. The process takes a varying amount of time based on the current state of oral health. For instance, patients who need damaged or decayed teeth extracted prior to denture placement may need to make one or more additional dental visits for tooth removal and wait for the soft tissue to heal prior to the design and crafting of their denture. Once the smile is fully prepared for the denture creation, the patients then need to wait potentially weeks or a month for a dental lab to craft their denture. All of this time is spent without fully functioning teeth.
In-House Denture Lab
Most dentists rely on dental labs that can be around the corner, across the country, or even on the other side of the globe. The knowledgeable ceramists and technicians that work in these facilities are very skilled in providing high quality dental restorations like crowns, bridges, and dentures. However, the time it takes for dentists to receive these restorations is less than ideal. At Longview Dental Center, we have a dentures lab in our office, where we can custom craft quality, cost-efficient dentures. That means less time between preparation and restoration for our patients. Rather than one or more weeks between the design and placement of a denture, our patients complete treatment in just a few days. If you have a partial or full denture, they may need repaired or refitted at some point. Most dental practices have to send your denture to off-site labs. Our Longview dentist will restore or resize these dentures in just 24 hours for most patients.
Benefits of Dentures
Hand crafted right in our office and regularly adjusted to ensure patients maintain optimal function, dentures can deliver patients a healthy, functional smile. Some of the benefits of replacing missing teeth with dentures include:
- Renewed confidence when speaking and smiling in personal and professional interactions
- Improved ability to chew a wider range of foods and maintain a diet rich in necessary nutrients
- Removable dentures are easy to clean and maintain even for patients with minimized dexterity due to age or health concerns like arthritis
Understanding the Cost of Dentures
The cost of dentures varies from patient to patient and depends on the type of denture, the materials used, and a variety of other factors. Although dentures can present a significant upfront cost, they are a worthwhile investment that can provide you with 5 – 7 years of reliable chewing function and natural-looking smiles. Most dental insurance providers cover between 50 and 75 percent of the cost of dentures. We are also happy to help patients find low- and no-interest financing to help them break up the price of their treatment into manageable monthly installments.
Full Functionality and a Beautiful Smile
It’s hard to fully understand how valuable your teeth are until they’re gone. After all, to be able to savor the flavors and enjoy your favorite foods, you need a full set of teeth to chew them properly. Otherwise, you’re relegated to a limited diet. Thankfully, when you visit our Longview office, Dr. Stoddard can fit you with a set of dentures that are designed specifically for you. Before moving forward, though, here are the answers to five frequently asked questions about the procedure.
#1 – Can I Maintain a Normal Diet?
After Dr. Stoddard fits you with a new set of dentures, you’ll need some time to adjust, which generally takes around 30 days. During this time period, it’s better to stick to softer foods while you become more comfortable with having the new appliance in your mouth. This also allows time for the gums to heal and for any inflammation to decrease.
Once you’ve started adjusting, though, you can slowly incorporate more food options into your diet. We suggest cutting your food into small bites, eating slowly and chewing on both sides of your mouth to ensure your dentures remain balanced.
#2 – Can I Sleep in Dentures?
You can sleep in your dentures at night, but we suggest you don’t make a habit of it. To ensure their longevity, it’s best to nightly remove your dentures in Longview, clean and soak them. This not only helps to prevent bacteria growth, but it also gives your gums a rest. Thus, you can enjoy your new teeth for years to come!
#3 – Will I Have a Natural-Looking Smile?
Denture design, fabrication and placement procedures have far surpassed that of your parents’ and grandparents’ eras. With a pink resin base that closely mimics the appearance and texture of your gums, and life-like porcelain prosthetics that resemble your natural teeth in hardness, appearance and functionality, you can expect to have a beautifully-restored smile.
#4 – How Much Do Dentures Cost?
Because the dentures process, from start to finish, is highly-customized, the best way to receive a more targeted estimate is to visit us at Longview Dental Center so Dr. Stoddard can perform a complete evaluation. Based on his findings, he’ll sit down with you afterwards to discuss your options. Then, you can make the necessary arrangements to receive the restorative care you’ve been needing.
The time has come to take action about your missing teeth and get your life back on track. Reach out to your dentist in Longview to schedule a visit, and prepare to be revitalized with your brand-new dentures!