An Affordable Solution to Tooth Loss
Beyond Just Smiles uses dentures as an attractive, cost-effective solution for patients with any number of missing teeth. They’re custom-made from a durable acrylic resin to seamlessly blend in with your natural smile. Receiving dentures is quick and easy, and can often be completed in as little as two appointments with our dental office in Nashua, NH.
Reasons for Dentures
Depending on your individual needs, we may recommend dentures for several different reasons, such as:
- Replacement of all teeth from the upper or lower jaw
- Loss of several teeth in an arch lost due to tooth decay, gum disease, or trauma.
- To enhance smile and facial issues
- To improve your ability to chew, speak, and digest a meal
Types of Dentures
Our Nashua practice features many types of dentures including full, partial, removable, and implant-supported. During your initial consultation, we’ll examine your oral health, discuss your treatment goals, and help determine which solution is best for your individual needs.
Complete or full dentures are used to replace an entire arch of missing teeth on your upper jaw, lower jaw, or both. In just four to six weeks, we can transform your appearance and smile with confidence like never before. When properly cared for, these dentures can last a decade or more.
Partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain and to fill the spaces created by missing teeth. These dentures prevent surrounding teeth from shifting and your facial structure from sinking in, giving you a beautiful new appearance. Any of the following types of dentures can be made as a partial denture–replacing only those teeth that need to be addressed.
Overdentures are a type of denture designed to cover and rest on one or more remaining natural teeth and/or dental implants. Since they’re secured in place, they help minimize some of the issues experienced with traditional, removable dentures that tend to slip around while talking and eating. An overdenture can improve the ability to chew by up to 75% over standard removable dentures!
Overdentures that utilize implants for support come in two types: removable and fixed.
Removable, Implant-Retained Overdentures
Removable, implant-retained overdentures are sometimes called “snap-on dentures” because they’re secured to dental implants using a snap assembly. They can still be removed for cleaning but they have the advantage of being retained in place so there’s much less risk of them moving around.
Fixed, Implant-Supported Overdentures
Fixed, implant-supported overdentures typically involve the use of four to six implant posts to provide support. The overdenture is secured into place on the posts using small screws and can only be removed by your dentist. This option is the closest treatment option available to natural teeth.
If you’ve already lost some of your teeth and are at risk of losing more, our team may provide you with a transitional denture, also known as a treatment denture. This is a removable, interim prosthesis, designed to transition you from a partial to a full denture. Additional artificial teeth can be added as you lose more of your natural teeth until you’re ready for a definitive denture.
Receiving Your Dentures
The process of getting dentures generally requires several appointments, usually over the course of a few weeks to a month or more. To start, we’ll take highly accurate impressions, or molds, that will be used to create your custom dentures.
Several “try-in” appointments may be necessary to ensure a proper shape, color, and fit for your restoration. At the final appointment, your Nashua dentist will precisely adjust and place the completed denture, ensuring that it looks natural and fits comfortably.
It’s normal to experience increased saliva flow, some soreness, and difficulty speaking and chewing at first. However, this will subside quickly as your muscles and tissues get used to the new dentures.