Dentures – Lake Nona, FL
Bid Farewell to Gaps in Your Smile
Do you suffer from extensive tooth loss? You’re not alone. According to the American College of Prosthodontists (ACP), roughly 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth, and 40 million are missing all their teeth. If you contribute to either statistic, you understand just how much tooth loss can affect your quality of life. Fortunately, you don’t have to live that way forever. At Lake Nona Dental Group, our restorative dentist offers dentures to help rebuild your smile and recharge your confidence. If you’re ready to bid farewell to gaps in your smile, continue reading or schedule a consultation with our team today!
Why Lake Nona Dental Group For Dentures?
- Natural-Looking, Fully Customized Restorations
- Dental Insurance Welcome & Financing Available
- Experienced Dentists With Diverse Training
Who’s a Good Candidate for Dentures?
Whether you’re missing several teeth or an entire arch, you may be eligible to get dentures. This method of tooth replacement is excellent for patients who want to enjoy a complete, functioning smile once again. During your consultation, your dentist in Lake Nona will conduct an oral examination to determine if this solution is right for you. It’s incredibly important that you have healthy gums to support your new prosthetics. That said, if you have problems like tooth decay or gum disease, you’ll need to work the appropriate care into your treatment before you can start the denture process.
Effects of Missing Teeth
Tooth loss occurs due to a wide variety of factors, including things like tooth decay, gum disease, and accidental physical trauma. The American Academy of Periodontology found that there are several negative effects of missing teeth, such as trouble speaking, difficulty chewing/eating, facial sagging, jawbone deterioration, and significantly reduced self-esteem. That’s why it’s important to rebuild your smile with treatment like dentures so that you can regain your bite as well as your full grin. Not only will you positively affect your cosmetic appearance, but you’ll also boost your overall quality of life in the process.
What Qualifies You for Dentures?
Nearly anyone who is missing some or all of their pearly whites can be eligible for dentures in Lake Nona. However, we’ll need to ensure that your mouth is healthy enough to wear your custom prosthetics, such as strong gum tissue and sufficient jawbone. You’ll also need to be committed to practicing great oral hygiene to maintain both your mouth and your dentures so that you can make the most of your treatment.
The kind of dentures you’ll receive will heavily depend on the number of teeth that you’re missing. For instance, a partial denture can replace a single tooth while a full denture can help you regain your complete bite. These prosthetics are also great for patients working within a budget, that way you don’t have to feel like you’re breaking the bank just to restore your smile.
Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options
Those who aren’t good candidates for dentures shouldn’t be worried about being out of luck. Our team wants to ensure that you receive the proper treatment you deserve so you can have a smile you can be proud of. That’s why we offer alternative tooth replacements with dental implants! Instead of prosthetics that rest atop your gum line, these metal posts will be embedded into your jawbone to support your dental crown, bridge, or denture. This process involves minor surgery, but the results can last decades to a lifetime with simple maintenance.
Types of Dentures
During a consultation, our dentist will assess your goals and needs to narrow down the right type of denture for you. Based on their findings, they will recommend one of the following options:
Partial Dentures
If you’re only missing a few teeth, partial dentures may be the ideal option. They fit between the teeth, seamlessly closing gaps throughout your smile. The gum-colored base and custom-shaded teeth are held in place using small metal clasps that loop around the neighboring teeth.
Full Dentures
For patients missing an entire row of teeth, full dentures are an excellent solution to consider. They also have a discreet, gum-colored base and natural-looking teeth like partials. However, full dentures sit on top of the gums and are held in place using natural suction or a small amount of denture adhesive.
Implant Dentures
Do you want unmatched stability and durability? You might want to consider getting implant-retained dentures. A full or partial denture is attached to several dental implants that are surgically inserted into the jawbone. Because the titanium posts are placed in the bone, they stimulate it to prevent deterioration, and your new teeth benefit from great stability. Additionally, you can expect to enjoy your new smile for several decades with proper care and maintenance!
The Benefits of Dentures
When you are missing several teeth, it can be difficult to do things that you once found effortless. This includes things like chewing your food, enunciating your words clearly, and smiling without feeling embarrassed. If you have experienced significant tooth loss, dentures can help to improve your quality of life! Here are just some of the many benefits that denture-wearers experience.
Psychological Benefits
People who don’t have any teeth often have difficulty accepting their tooth loss. Along with this comes effects on self-esteem and social life, as well as a higher risk of experiencing sadness and depression. By restoring your smile with dentures, you are likely to experience increased confidence and self-esteem. During are able to reduce anxieties about appearance, speech articulation, chewing ability, and more!
Clearer Enunciation
Missing teeth can make it much more challenging to speak clearly. To pronounce and perform words, your lips and tongue need to be positioned properly. Without being about to touch your tongue to your teeth, some words become very challenging – almost impossible to say. Since dentures take the place of your missing teeth, they can allow you to enunciate more clearly when you speak. After a short adjustment period, speaking will come naturally!
Improves Nutrition
A lot of nutritious foods are tough in texture. This includes vegetables, fruits, and healthy proteins. When you aren’t able to chew your food thoroughly due to tooth loss. You can experience issues like indigestion and malnutrition. With an improved ability to chew your food, dentures can help you enjoy a more expansive diet full of nutrients. Ultimately, dentures can help you receive the essential nutrients you need to thrive.
Preserves Oral Health
If you still have some remaining natural teeth, getting dentures can help keep them from shifting around to fill in the gaps. Dentures also help to bear some of the weight of regular chewing, therefore reducing the wear and tear of the existing teeth.
Expands Opportunities
First impressions are important when it comes to job interviews, sales, and getting promotions. Your smile is one of the first things that people notice about you, so having a complete smile is nothing but an advantage. In fact, studies have found that the probability of being employed is negatively associated with having poor oral health.
Dentures Aftercare
Certainly, our office’s dentures should work for you. These prosthetics are highly effective and can quickly restore your grin. Still, such facts don’t mean you ought to give up oral care. Dentures need daily maintenance to function. Without it, your new teeth will cause more problems than they solve. Luckily, Lake Nona Dental Group is ready to help. Listed below are great tips on caring for dentures. Help your restorations last by reading them over, or call our office for the details.
Removeable Dentures
Remove After Eating
For starters, remember to remove and rinse your dentures after each meal. Food debris often accumulates on these prosthetic teeth. However, rinses ensure your meal’s leftovers are removed and washed away. The result is a reduced risk of gum disease and similar oral issues.
All that said, avoid using hot water for the rinses. Intense heat can warp a denture’s materials. From there, the device won’t fit in your mouth well; you’ll have to get a replacement.
Clean Your Restoration
Another good rule is to clean your dentures once daily. Should you follow this practice, you’ll get rid of bacteria and plaque that a rinse may miss.
Of course, these once-daily cleanings are simple. You just need to remove the denture from your mouth and clean it with a toothbrush. At the same time, use hand soap instead of toothpaste. The latter is abrasive and erodes dentures. You can then soak the dentures in a solution if there’s time. Lastly, rinse them before putting them back in your mouth.
Keep Your Dentures Safe
While sturdy, dentures aren’t invincible. They can and will break if put under enough force. Given that fact, keep them safe when they aren’t in use.
A few good ways exist to protect dentures. For example, place a towel in your sink while cleaning them. The cloth will cushion them from falls. Similarly, you could store the dentures in a secure case. That way, kids and pets can’t break these precious teeth.
Remove Dentures When You Sleep
Just before you sleep, remove your dentures and set them aside. Better yet, soak them in a disinfecting solution overnight while you snooze.
As it turns out, constant denture use isn’t good for you. It restricts your gums’ circulation, causing your mouth tissues to get irritated. The habit also puts you at risk of gum disease, as it elevates your plaque levels. Sleeping with dentures can even lead to harsh cases of pneumonia.
Notice Changes
While wearing your dentures, monitor them (and your mouth) for changes. A sudden development may point to a problem a dentist must fix. Amidst this monitoring, especially watch out for mouth sores, gum irritation, and signs of infection.
It’s best to take dentures to a dentist when they get damaged. Should you try fixing them yourself, the situation will get worse. Meanwhile, a qualified dentist has the required training and resources.
Understanding the Cost of Dentures
After learning about dentures, you’re probably more excited than ever to start rebuilding your smile. However, you may be wondering about the cost of dentures in Lake Nona before you decide to move forward with the process. During your consultation, our team at Lake Nona Dental Group will conduct an oral examination and explain which factors will affect the final price. Following the appointment, you’ll have a better understanding of what you can expect to pay for your treatment.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Dentures
Multiple considerations can influence the price of dentures in Lake Nona, including:
- Any work needed beforehand like tooth extractions or periodontal therapy
- The number of teeth you’re missing
- The type of acrylic used for the base (part that is dyed to match color of gum tissue)
- The materials your denture will be made of (usually porcelain or acrylic)
Is cost a priority? If so, you may be tempted to opt for cheaper dentures. Even though the upfront cost is certainly lower, they tend to break easily and require replacement much sooner than you’d expect. That’s why quality should always be of utmost importance, regardless of the cost.
Are Implant Dentures More Expensive?
Yes, implant dentures are generally more expensive than traditional ones. However, there’s a good explanation for that. They require oral surgery and the placement of multiple dental implants, making them more reliable for everyday use since they do not shift out of place. Many patients discover this method of tooth replacement is well worth the investment because of several tremendous benefits.
Not only do implants stimulate the jawbone, but they can last decades or even a lifetime with proper care and maintenance with help from your denture dentist in Lake Nona. That means you won’t have to worry about replacing your dentures nearly as often!
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dentures?
Dentures are considered a major procedure which is why most dental insurance plans will cover approximately 50 percent of their cost. Certainly, every policy is unique, meaning the amount of coverage provided will vary from patient to patient. If you have any questions about your plan, contact your insurance provider or ask our dental team for assistance. We will gladly review the details of your policy and do everything possible to maximize your benefits and reduce out-of-pocket expenses.
Other Options for Making Dentures Affordable
We understand not everyone has dental insurance which is why we offer third-party financing options to make your dental bills much easier to manage. With CareCredit, LendingClub, or Proceed Finance, you can split up the total cost of your treatment into smaller, budget-friendly monthly installments. Options even come with little-to-no interest!
Also, we have a membership plan that, among many benefits, offers you up to 15 percent off treatments like dentures. Ready to begin down the path to a beautiful, complete smile? Contact us today to schedule a consultation so we can answer any questions you might have.
Denture FAQs
Reading through the information above will give you insight into the types of dentures in Lake Nona, as well as who is a candidate for dentures and their benefits. With that being said, it’s completely natural to still have a few questions on your mind. Since many of our patients prefer to do their research online, we’ve responded to a few of their most frequently asked questions below. As always, we’re just a phone call away if you’d prefer to speak directly with our team!
What Qualifies You for Dentures?
Whether you are missing a few teeth or an entire arch, you may be a candidate for dentures. During your initial consultation, your denture dentist in Lake Nona will take the time to conduct an oral exam, ask you a few questions, and learn about your smile goals. From there, they can determine your viability. The good news is most patients who are diligent about their oral health are rock-solid candidates! Even if an untreated condition like gum disease initially stands in your way, the appropriate restorative care can be worked into your treatment plan.
Is It Hard to Talk with Dentures?
As your mouth adjusts to your new dentures, you may experience a bit of a learning curve. During this time, it’s important to be patient with yourself and take it slow. Try reading a magazine aloud and repeating the more difficult words (like “sixty”) until you’re able to say them without a lisp. You should also try biting down and swallowing before you speak which will prevent slippage and excess saliva from messing up your speech. Remember: the more you practice, the faster the adjustment process will be.
What Can’t You Eat with Dentures?
Whether you’ve been struggling with tooth loss for years or a couple of months now, you know the detrimental impact it can have on your smile. Fortunately, dentures can help restore your bite force, allowing you to enjoy your meals pain-free again! Still, it is a good idea to avoid foods that can tug on them like peanut butter and gummy candies. Nuts, raw carrots, and other hard items pose a risk of damaging your restoration too, which is why you should always exercise caution.
How Can I Reduce the Cost of Dentures?
If you have dental insurance, then you’ll be happy to know many plans cover at least a portion of the cost. Since we accept most providers here at Lake Nona Dental Group, let us help you maximize your benefits and minimize your out-of-pocket cost! We also happily accept third-party financing which can break up the cost into manageable payments that fit into your monthly budget. Don’t worry – our team will review all the various financial options with you in-depth at your consultation. That way, you can make an informed decision on which path is right for you.
