Dentures – Hoboken, NJ

Effects of Missing Teeth

Especially if you’ve gone a decent amount of time without tooth replacements, you may wonder why you should get dentures now. However, having gaps in your smile is more than just an aesthetic problem. Biting and chewing nutritious food become significantly more challenging without a strong bite, which can shift and change as a result of tooth loss. Pronouncing certain sounds clearly also requires teeth, and those with gaps can struggle to communicate and feel isolated. Dentures can provide a way to reconnect, fuel your body properly, and feel more confident in yourself.

What Qualifies You for Dentures?

Generally, those who have good oral health should be able to receive a denture as soon as possible, while those with existing tooth decay and gum disease should have it taken care of ahead of time. Depending on the condition of your mouth, we may need to have preliminary work before we focus on your replacement teeth. Again, a consultation with Dr. Graffeo will help you know what to expect moving forward.

Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options

If you are looking into getting any kind of denture, you should pause to at least consider attaching them to implants. Instead of having your dentures sit on top of your gums and stay in place because of suction, you can anchor your prosthetic teeth to the jawbone directly through implants. As a result, implant dentures are far more secure and stable, strengthening your biting force and giving you more confidence that your teeth won’t slip out of position.

Removable Dentures

Remove After Eating

It would be wise to remove your dentures after each meal so you can thoroughly rinse them. This helps to prevent plaque and food particles from accumulating on them and leading to issues like gum irritation and bad breath. When you rinse your dentures, be sure that you do not use hot water; high temperatures can warp the acrylic that composes the base of your dentures and cause them to lose their fit.

Clean Your Restoration

You should thoroughly clean your dentures each day. Here is how to do it:

• Remove your dentures so you can easily access their underside.
• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and a bit of mild, unscented, clear soap to clean all of your dentures’ surfaces. (Do not use regular toothpaste — it is abrasive and could scratch your prosthetic!)
• If you do not plan to wear your dentures again right away, place them in some water or denture-cleansing solution so they do not dry out and lose their shape.
• Rinse your denture before putting it back in your mouth.

Keep Your Dentures Safe

An accident could happen at any time, so it is important to take appropriate precautions. For example, you should be standing over a soft surface when you take your dentures out of your mouth. If you drop them, you want them to have an easy landing so they do not break! A folded towel works well for this.

You should also be careful to store your dentures where they are out of the reach of pets and small children.

Remove When You Sleep

You should take your dentures out of your mouth at bedtime. Not wearing your dentures while you sleep gives your gums a chance to breathe, which encourages good blood circulation, reduces irritation, and is good for your jawbone health. Sleeping overnight while wearing dentures is even associated with a heightened risk of respiratory infections!

Store your dentures in water or a cleansing solution overnight.

Notice Changes

You should keep a close eye on both your dentures and your oral health. If you notice any changes, book an appointment with our team right away. Here are some issues that you should stay on the lookout for:

• Signs of infection in your gum tissue, such as swelling, redness, and unpleasant odors.
• Damage to your dentures, such as cracks, breaks, or missing teeth.
• Changes in the way your dentures fit.

Factors that Affect the Cost of Dentures

The main factors that influence how much you can expect to pay for your denture include the following:

• Preparatory treatments that make a denture possible (i.e. tooth extractions, gum disease therapy, treatment for tooth decay, etc.)
• Types of acrylic used (some materials are more durable and natural-looking than others)
• Materials used for the replacement teeth (acrylic or porcelain are the most common options)

It’s important to remember that the cheapest option is rarely the best choice when it comes to dentures. You’re going to be wearing them for extended periods of time, so quality should always be a top priority.

Are Implant Dentures More Expensive?

Because implant dentures make use of dental implants, they are always going to be more expensive overall. Instead of relying on the shape of the mouth as well as natural suction to remain stable, implant dentures attach to several implants that are placed throughout the mouth and given time to integrate with the jawbone beforehand. This allows the denture to stay in place far more effectively in the long-term and prevent slipping and shifting while in use. They also tend to last much longer, averaging about 30 years (and even a lifetime) of use. Compared to traditional dentures needing replacement every 5 to 7 years, it can actually be a more cost-effective solution for severe tooth loss.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dentures?

A denture is considered to be a major restorative treatment, which means it’s typically covered by dental insurance plans up to 50%. However, this is largely dependent on the plan you have as well as the nuanced coverage details within that plan. Our team is happy to confirm the specific benefits that make up your dental insurance and break them down in detail before any phase of treatment.

Other Options for Making Dentures Affordable

Even if you don’t have dental insurance at this time or you simply lack the coverage needed for your future tooth replacement, there are other ways you can make your care more affordable. One way many people accomplish this is by enrolling into a CareCredit plan. This third-party financier lets you split up your costs into monthly chunks, typically with little to no interest attached. By signing up for a payment plan, even the most expensive treatments can be fit into a tight budget.

If you’d like to learn more about financing your dental care or about dentures in general, please give our office a call to set up an in-person consultation!

Psychological Benefits

When you lose teeth, it’s easy to feel like you’ve lost a part of yourself along with them. The change in your abilities and appearance can leave you feeling anxious or depressed. Plus, if you’re overly concerned about how others will judge you then you might remain tight-lipped around them or become unwilling to engage in social activities.

Restoring your smile with dentures can boost your confidence because once they’re in place, you won’t have to worry as much about what people think of you. You’ll be better able to look, act, and feel more like your best self as you set your self-consciousness aside.

Clearer Enunciation

Your teeth play an essential role in how well you communicate because you rely on them to speak. Pressing your tongue against their hard surfaces allows you to form the multitude of sounds and words that we use to express ourselves clearly. If you have gaps in your grin, you might develop a lisp or other issues that make it harder to understand you.

Dentures fill in these spaces so that you can continue to converse like you used to. It can take about a month for your tongue and the muscles in your mouth to learn to work around the prosthetics but then, you’ll be able to talk as much as you like without any issues.

Improves Nutrition

Tooth loss can also impact your overall well-being because you can’t have a healthy body without a wholesome diet. Many essential nutrients come from foods that are tough or harder to chew like fruits, vegetables, and meats. When you can’t easily mash them up in your mouth, you could develop gastrointestinal issues from overly large pieces. Alternatively, you could become malnourished if you avoid certain ingredients to stick to softer options.

Dentures restore your ability to eat so that you can once again enjoy the advantages of a well-rounded diet.

Preserves Oral Health

If you have natural teeth remaining, they’re likely to suffer once their neighbors are lost. They’re likely to shift out of alignment to try to fill in the space left behind which can harm them. As a result, they’ll sustain uneven pressure from repetitive motions, like chewing, that could wear them down prematurely. This leaves them vulnerable to chipping, cracking, or breaking.

Dentures fill in the gaps so that your natural pearly whites can remain in their ideal placements to maintain your overall oral health.

Expands Opportunities

One of the first things people notice about you is your smile so it’s natural to want yours to look and feel healthy. Having holes in your grin could communicate that you don’t know how to care for yourself or keep your teeth clean. That will only work against you during important occasions like job interviews or first dates where first impressions truly matter.

If you’re working hard to get ahead in life, you don’t want the condition of your teeth to hold you back. Dentures can restore your confidence and your appearance so that you can put your best foot forward when it counts.

Will I Be Able to Sleep with My Dentures?

When you decide to go to bed, we recommend that you take your dentures out. While you should be keeping them in your mouth for the first 24 hours to help it get used to them, they should be taken out during the evening following that period. When you wear dentures for too long, it can cut circulation to the gums and cause irritation. As you take them out, the gums have an opportunity to recover and get the nutrients needed for them to thrive throughout the night. Additionally, taking them out at night reduces your risk for gum and tongue plaque.

Can I Have My Dentures Relined if They Don’t Fit Properly?

Dentures can change shape over time, and when they do, they may need to be relined so they can fit comfortably. They will also need to be repaired if any teeth are lost or damaged. Your jaw can also begin to change shape, requiring a reline that way as well. Soft relines are performed if the gums are too sensitive to the weight of the dentures, while hard relines are done for more extensive changes that require the help of a dental lab. If you are experiencing oral sores due to your denture, we can perform a temporary reline to provide relief and give the soft tissue a chance to heal.

Should I Use Regular Toothpaste to Clean My Dentures?

Dentures need to be cleaned daily, but we do not recommend the use of toothpaste to do so. This is because toothpaste can actually leave tiny scratches on the surface of your denture, leading to them becoming severely damaged. This is the same reason why you should use a soft-bristled toothbrush only to clean your prosthesis. Instead of using toothpaste, we recommend a hand soap, mild dishwashing liquid, or cleanser specifically designed for dentures.

Will Dentures Change the Shape of My Face?

The facial muscles begin to sag when you lose your teeth, causing your face to have a more sunken appearance. When you have a denture, your facial muscles regain support they didn’t have before, reducing these side effects. However, if your denture does not fit properly, the facial muscles aren’t getting the support they need. This is why it is so crucial to have a denture that fits as intended. If for any reason your denture does not feel quite right when worn, give us a call and we’ll do what we can to get it refitted.