Every Dentist Needs Your Help Keeping Your Teeth Healthy

Whether it's due to injury, disease or just poor oral hygiene, many Americans suffer from missing teeth. In fact, some 178 million people in the United States are missing at least one tooth. If you are among this growing group of people, you likely suffer daily from embarrassment about the way your teeth look. The good news is that no matter your age or current state of dental health, there are solutions available to help you feel better about your smile and improve your dental hygiene. The denture process can be broken down into four main steps, so read on to familiarize yourself with the steps and be on your way to a new and better smile.

1. There are several options when it comes to choosing what type of dentures are best for your particular situation, so expect your dentist to discuss the following choices with you after your initial oral examination:

Partial dentures are usually recommended for those who need to fill in a few gaps in their otherwise healthy smile. Dentists overwhelmingly prefer to keep as many natural teeth intact as possible, since that helps prevent bone loss and gives your new partial dentures something solid and healthy to attach to. These types of dentures are normally attached to the natural teeth on each side with wires and may be removed for cleaning.

Complete dentures comprise an entire set of teeth, either uppers or lowers or both. This is the conventional type of dentures used when you have too many missing teeth to provide anchors for partial dentures. This type of denture necessitates the removal of all of your remaining teeth, since the new set of teeth is created to fit right on top of your gums.

Over-dentures present an alternative to the complete removal of your teeth. This type of denture is constructed with empty cavities (spaces) where your still-healthy teeth will fit. While this option does have the benefit of allowing you to keep as many of your natural teeth as possible, root canals and teeth-filing is sometimes required to prevent decay and to allow for a good fit of the over-denture.

2. If needed (for complete dentures), the next step will be the removal of any teeth. As you may guess, your gums will be sore and swollen for a few weeks afterwards, so you must wait for several weeks before your bite impressions are taken. A temporary denture will be provided to you, so you will be able to chew (and smile) while you are waiting.

3. You can expect to go back for several appointments to be measured for your new dentures. To create a realistic-looking set, your dentist will not only need to match your bite, but also the length and color of your previous teeth. A photograph of the "before" smile may be useful.

4. The next and final step includes the try-on and follow-up adjustments. You want your new teeth to look good and feel good, so be patient while your new teeth are tweaked and perfected. You will also be instructed on how to property clean and care for dentures.

You may be surprised at how nice your new smile looks, especially if your previous teeth were discolored or misshapen. Your new smile will give you a sunny outlook that should go beyond your teeth.

Visit a site like http://hcdentistryak.com/ to get started on the denture process today!