Dentures — Manchester, VT

Effects of Missing Teeth

In some cases, particularly if only one tooth is missing toward the back of the mouth, it can seem as though replacement may not be necessary. However, without a full arch of teeth, your biting and chewing capabilities become limited. Nutritious foods are often tough and require strong teeth, which means tooth loss can leave you with more processed, less nutrient-rich foods. As a result, your overall health can suffer!

In addition, gaps in your smile, especially two or more teeth, allow your remaining teeth to drift out of position. When this happens, your bite will change, and larger spaces will develop between your teeth, hurting your aesthetic.

Dentures not only allow you to have a full, cosmetically pleasing smile but also restore essential functions. In other words, they help you overcome the effects of missing teeth and give your smile a second chance.

What Qualifies You for Dentures?

The good news about dentures is that the prerequisites are few. In fact, the only one is that you have a healthy mouth. As long as you don’t have gum disease, cavities, or any other oral issue, you should be good to get these restorations.

If you don’t initially meet this requirement, because of gum disease for example, our team can administer needed treatment and get your mouth in a better position for dentures. Once it is healthy again, we can work on providing your prosthetic teeth.

Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options

Depending on your needs and goals, we may want to explore all your options before jumping right to dentures. For instance, if you have just one tooth missing and a healthy tooth on either side of the gap, perhaps a bridge would be more appropriate than a partial denture. Or, if you would like more permanent tooth replacement, you might want to consider anchoring your dentures to dental implants, which are

Psychological Benefits

Research shows that the appearance of our teeth greatly affects our mental health. A smile that’s missing teeth can make it difficult for patients to enjoy taking photos with loved ones, open their mouths without thinking about their gaps, or confidently interact with those around them. Other issues, like trouble chewing or speaking clearly, can also impact someone’s self-esteem.

Completing your smile with quality dentures doesn’t just mean restoring your oral health – it means restoring your mental health, too! Nowadays this replacement option can be crafted to fit comfortably and look like real teeth, leaving little room for your mind to doubt their appearance or function.

Clearer Enunciation

The thing about speech is that we pick it up while developing our baby teeth. In other words, pearly whites and proper enunciation go together. If your tongue can’t press up against certain teeth, you’ll have a harder time forming certain sounds. Fortunately, there’s good news for chatterboxes with missing teeth: dentures can provide the structure necessary to talk easily and freely.

Improves Nutrition

Did you know that the chewing process actually helps you absorb nutrition by preparing your food for digestion? It’s strange, but true! Gaps near the front of your mouth can interfere with efficient tearing, however, and gaps near the back will almost certainly make it difficult to effectively break down your meals. A denture replacement can help you enjoy the simple pleasure of good food, as well as make sure you chew well enough to benefit from essential nutrients.

Preserves Oral Health

Improving your chewing ability comes with another benefit: saving any remaining teeth you might have from excessive wear and tear. When dental gaps make your bite uneven, physical stress from actions like eating is distributed on some teeth more than others. Dentures will help you avoid all kinds of related problems, like enamel erosion, jaw pain, and diminishing pearly whites.

Expands Opportunity

A beautiful, full smile can make you the center of attention, improving your chances of getting that job you interviewed for, persuading your way to a promotion, or sealing the deal on an important sale. Dentures’ realistic appearance can help you make that crucial, stand-out first impression.

Factors that Affect the Cost of Dentures

There are three main considerations to keep in mind when purchasing a denture. First of all, certain preparatory treatments may be needed before a denture can be fitted. This means extractions of existing teeth may need to be performed. Additionally, the type of acrylic used for the base of the denture can also influence the final price tag. This portion is gum-colored so that it blends in with your existing gum tissue. Finally, the replacement teeth are usually made from either an acrylic or porcelain material. It’s very important that the teeth are not only natural-looking, but sturdy.

Are Implant Dentures More Expensive?

The reality is implant dentures are more expensive than traditional dentures because more materials and advanced treatments are necessary to complete them. For starters, implant dentures attach to a series of dental implants that are placed directly into the jaw. This ensures the denture remains more secure, making it less likely to slip or shift out of place when chewing and speaking. Despite the higher price, they are designed to last much longer than traditional dentures, which only last about 5 to 7 years before needing to be replaced. In contrast, dental implants can last 30 years and longer.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dentures?

Since they are a major procedure, dentures are likely to be covered by dental insurance up to 50%. With that said, every dental plan is different and tends to have different levels of coverage based on which one you use and the provider you receive it from. Our dental team is more than prepared to help patients confirm their specific insurance benefits upfront ahead of treatment, so you know exactly what you’ll be paying in advance.