Dentures – McKinney, TX
Comfortable & Natural-Looking Restorations for Your Smile
Patients who are struggling with moderate to severe tooth loss can typically turn to dentures for a lifelike and reliable tooth-replacement solution. Thanks to advancements in dentistry in recent years, this restoration option has become even more comfortable than ever before! If you’re missing some, most, or all of your teeth, then dentures may be the ideal treatment for you. Keep reading to learn more or give us a call today to schedule your consultation!
Why Choose Lake Forest Dental of McKinney for Dentures?
- Durable & Lifelike Restoration Materials
- Accepts Insurance & Offers Flexible Financing Options
- Friendly, Dedicated, & Expert Dental Staff
Who Is a Good Candidate for Dentures?
Are you experiencing moderate to severe tooth loss? If you are, you might be a good candidate for dentures in McKinney. This tooth-replacement option is meant to replace any number of missing teeth to help renew your bite, smile, and speech—all of which will improve your overall well-being. Due to advancements in dental technology, virtually everyone can be eligible for the treatment. Even if you have underlying or developing issues, such as gingivitis or damaged teeth, we can provide you with preliminary treatments to renew your oral health so that you’re ready for dentures.
Types of Dentures
Every denture is custom-designed to treat your specific dental needs to help you regain your ability to eat comfortably, speak clearly, and smile confidently. Here are the three main types of dentures to choose from:
Partial Dentures
As the name suggests, partial dentures are meant to replace several missing teeth. This restoration consists of a series of metal frameworks under a gum-colored base. This appliance then clasps onto your nearby natural teeth to fill in the spaces between your teeth, providing a natural-looking and healthy smile again.
Full Dentures
If you’re missing an entire arch of pearly whites, then you might be more suited for full dentures. While they also have a gum-colored base, they will rely on your gum line rather than nearby healthy teeth for support. Your dentures will be held in place with either natural suction, denture adhesive, or a combination of the two. The artificial teeth will renew your arches as well as the ability to chew, talk, and smile confidently.
Implant Dentures
Instead of relying on your nearby teeth or gums, implant dentures will be directly anchored to your jawbone via titanium posts. Once your implants are completely bonded to your bone tissue, your restorations will provide the superior stability you need to enjoy a natural-feeling smile again. With proper care, your results can typically last several decades to a lifetime!
The Benefits of Dentures
With dentures, you can expect to appreciate several essential benefits, including:
- Cost-effective restoration treatment
- Simplified dental maintenance
- Completely personalized results for your smile
- Can last 10+ years with proper care (or 30+ years with implant dentures)
- Preserves your facial shape (and jawbone with implant dentures)
Understanding the Cost of Dentures
While dentures can be a fantastic way to replace several or many lost teeth, it’s only reasonable that you’d want to know what you can expect to pay before you commit to the treatment. During your consultation at our McKinney office, Dr. Cha will carefully explain your customized treatment plan as well as all associated costs. Here’s a brief guide to the factors that influence the overall price of dentures, but please contact our office if you’d like to know more.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Dentures
The overall cost of a set of dentures is determined by three major factors, those being:
- Preliminary treatments: Some patients may need treatments such as tooth extractions or periodontal therapy before they can be ready to receive dentures. The cost of these procedures will be noted on your final bill.
- The material used for the base: This is usually acrylic since it can be easily dyed to match the color of your natural gum tissue
- The material used for the artificial teeth: These are typically made from acrylic or porcelain to ensure that they are lifelike and sturdy.
Are Implant Dentures More Expensive?
While implant dentures are more expensive than traditional restorations, this is for a very good reason. While traditional dentures are supported by the mouth’s natural suction, implant dentures are secured in place by titanium posts surgically inserted into the jawbone. This allows them to exert maximum chewing power while eliminating the possibility of them sliding about in the mouth, making it easier for the patient to speak clearly without worrying about their appliance falling out. While traditional dentures typically last for about five to seven years, implant dentures can last much longer since they can prevent or reverse the process of jawbone atrophy that begins after tooth loss.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dentures?
Most dental insurance plans consider dentures to be a major restorative procedure, so they typically cover them at about 50%. During your consultation, our team will be happy to help you go over you insurance policy so you know exactly how to maximize your benefits.
Other Options for Making Dentures Affordable
We understand that many patients who need dentures may have some difficulty fitting them in their budgets. That’s why we offer several ways to help make dentures more affordable such as:
- Flexible financing options: We partner with Cherry and CareCredit to offer our patients easy payment plans that break the overall costs of their treatments into easily manageable monthly installments.
In-house membership plan: For a low annual fee, you can receive significant discounts on many of our services.
Dentures FAQs
Do Dentures Break Easily?
While today’s dentures are durable, they can break at times. You’ll need to be careful with them to ensure they last as long as possible.
For example, various accidents can lead to broken dentures. You might drop the restorations while cleaning, inserting, or removing them, or you might handle them a bit too roughly. Such incidents can lead to breaks or fractures in a seemingly sturdy denture.
On the other hand, dentures sometimes break due to their own flaws. Tiny defects in their base – scratches, notches, etc. – may eventually cause them to fracture. Similarly, a denture could be worn down by repeated use and stress.
How are Dentures Customized?
Dentists take various measures to customize a patient’s dentures. In doing so, they ensure the final restorations fit smoothly, easily, and snugly.
A dentist’s first step is to take a dental impression of your current mouth. This model outlines the contours of your teeth, gums, and other oral structures. Once it’s finished, the dentist will hand it over to a local dental lab for further use.
Skilled technicians craft the final dentures to match your dental impression(s). In particular, they design the devices to have the right color, shape, size, and positioning. The technicians then send the dentures to your dentist, who has you try them to see if they fit correctly.
How Does a Dentist Reline Dentures?
If your denture doesn’t fit well, a dentist can add material to its inner plate. This process is called relining and helps the prosthetic better conform to your mouth.
How a dentist relines dentures depends on the kind of relining needed. After all, there are two major types – the soft denture reline and the hard denture reline. The first kind uses a liquid polymer to add depth to the restorations, while the second uses more durable material. Your own dentist can help you decide which kind of reline suits you best.
Can I Sleep With My Dentures?
Dentists normally advise not to sleep with dentures in your mouth. Instead, patients should take the restorations out before bed and store them in a cleansing solution.
The core issue is that wearing dentures overnight isn’t good for you. If the prosthetics stay in your mouth too long, they’ll restrict the circulation in your gums and cause soft tissue irritation. Constant denture use can also potentially speed up ridge resorption, put you at risk of pneumonia, and worse.
The only exception to the “no overnight use” rule is when you first get dentures. At that time, you’ll be told to keep the devices in your mouth for 24 hours, including your sleep time. You’ll then take your denture out every evening once the twenty-four hours are up.