Dentures
A removable set of teeth for a whole arch, or for the run of teeth that is missing.
Request a consultA denture replaces a whole arch of teeth, or the run of teeth that is missing, with a set you take out to clean. Full dentures rest on the ridge itself. Partial dentures fill the gaps and clasp onto the teeth you still have.
The fit is decided by the shape of the ridge, and the ridge keeps changing for weeks after teeth come out. The set is made once the gums have settled, from an impression sent to the dental lab with the shade, the tooth size and the bite agreed beforehand. The visits that follow the first fitting are short ones, to ease the spots where the set presses.
Dr. Moradian scans the jaw at the consult, so you know from the start whether there is bone to hold implants. A set carried on implants stays put while you eat, and knowing which options are open changes what you choose to have made.
Who it suits
- A whole arch missing
- Several teeth in a row
- Not enough bone for implants
A denture suits a whole arch that is gone, or a run of teeth too long for a bridge to span. It is also the answer when the jaw no longer holds enough bone for implants, or when the ridge needs months to settle before anything fixed is planned. Dr. Moradian scans the jaw at the consult, so if there is bone to carry implants you hear it then rather than after the set is made. A set held on implants does not lift while you eat, and that choice is worth making before the first impression is taken.
What happens, step by step
Consult
Dr. Moradian reads the ridge, the bite and what is left in the arch. A cone beam CT scan shows how much bone remains, which decides whether the set can be held on implants.
Impressions
An impression of the ridge goes to the dental lab, with the shade, the tooth size and the bite agreed before the set is built.
Fitting
The finished set is tried in, checked against the bite and against how you speak, and eased at the chair before you take it home.
Adjustment
Gums change shape as they settle, so the first weeks include short visits to relieve pressure spots and keep the fit even.
Questions
How long before I get them?
Extraction sites need time to heal before a final set is made, because the ridge changes shape as it settles. How many weeks depends on how many teeth came out. Dr. Moradian sets out the schedule at the consult, and a temporary set can be worn in the meantime.
Will they change how I speak?
For the first days, yes. The tongue has to learn a new shape and some sounds come out thick. Reading out loud for a few minutes a day speeds that up. If a sound is still wrong by the settling-in visits, the set is adjusted rather than lived with.
Can a denture be held on implants?
Yes. Implants placed in the arch hold the set so it does not lift or rock while you eat. Whether there is bone to take them is answered by the cone beam scan at the consult. The dental implants page covers how the posts are placed.
How do I look after them?
Take the set out and brush it over a basin of water every day, clean the gums and tongue with a soft brush, and leave the set in water or cleaning solution overnight. Hot water warps it. Bring it to every check-up so the fit and the bite are checked.
Replace missing teeth
A gap does not stay a gap. The teeth either side lean into it, and the bone that held the root starts to shrink.
Start with a consult.
A look at the teeth and gums you have, a scan when implants are on the table, and the options laid out in plain language before anything is booked.