Missing teeth make people self-conscious about their appearance and make everyday activities, like speaking and eating, much more difficult. Here at Dental Implant and Laser Surgical Specialists in Tustin, CA, Dr. Ramyar Elyassian provides patients with dentures as a cost-effective method to replacing teeth—read on to learn more about this treatment and how to properly maintain your implant-supported dentures.
What are dentures?
Dentures are oral appliances made to replace teeth. There are many types and designs, like traditional dentures, partial dentures, custom dentures, immediate dentures, implant dentures, snap-in dentures, overdentures, and upper dentures.
Implant-supported dentures offer a few extra advantages for patients. Dental implants are synthetic tooth roots that are placed in your jawbone during a minor oral surgical procedure. The titanium implants bond to your jawbone in just a few months. Implant-supported dentures are connected directly to the implants or to a metal framework.
Advantages of these dentures include:
- Better Jaw Strength: Your jawbone shrinks after you lose your teeth because it no longer is stimulated by your tooth roots. Dental implants offer stimulation that will minimize jawbone changes.
- Even Better Protection from Sagging: Although dentures help support your facial muscles, some sagging may still occur with full dentures. Because implant-supported dentures reduce jawbone shrinking, they offer even more support for the muscles.
- Excellent Biting Power: Loss of biting power is inevitable with full dentures, but not with implant-supported dentures. In fact, you may retain as much as 95 percent of your biting power.
What are some key tips for maintaining your dentures?
- Brush your teeth using a soft-bristled toothbrush and floss after removing dentures to avoid food getting stuck between your teeth and dentures.
- Schedule regular dental visits with Tustin dentist to have teeth professionally cleaned and for an overall examination to ensure teeth and gums are healthy.
- Rinse dentures after eating by running water over them. Place a towel on the counter to avoid breaking dentures if you drop them.
- Don't bend dentures while cleaning them.
- Visit Dr. Elyassian if the dentures fit loosely or if you have any other denture adjustment issues.
- Brush dentures daily using a soft-bristled brush and nonabrasive denture cleanser.
- Soak dentures in water or a mild denture-soaking solution overnight to preserve dentures' shape.
- Rinse dentures when removing them from their denture-soaking solution to avoid exposing yourself from harmful chemicals.
Part of maintaining your dentures includes avoiding the use of abrasive toothpaste, brushing dentures vigorously, using a whitening toothpaste, or bleach-containing products and hot water.
Need to speak with a professional?
If you'd like more information about implant dentures, and how to properly care for them, contact Dr. Ramyar Elyassian of Dental Implant and Laser Surgical Specialists in Tustin, CA, by dialing (714) 730-3746.