Get Your Smile Back Faster With Immediate Dentures
At Northwind Dental, we understand that losing teeth can be a difficult and stressful experience. That’s why our Wasilla dentist offers custom dentures, tailored to meet your oral health needs and smile goals. With immediate dentures, your smile can be restored in just one appointment to our dental practice.
We’re dedicated to providing personalized and compassionate care to help patients in Wasilla, AK.
What Are Immediate Dentures?
Immediate dentures are a type of dental prosthesis designed to replace missing teeth immediately after extraction. These dentures are custom-made to fit your mouth and provide you with a temporary set of teeth while your gums and bone tissue heal and adjust to the extraction process.
Immediate dentures can be a convenient option for those who want to avoid the discomfort and inconvenience of being without teeth during the healing period. They also offer cosmetic benefits, as you can maintain your smile and facial structure while waiting for your permanent dentures to be made. Once your mouth has fully healed, your immediate dentures will be replaced with permanent dentures that are custom-made to fit your mouth.
Benefits of Immediate Dentures
Immediate dentures offer several benefits over traditional dentures, including:
- Immediate restoration of your appearance and speech: Immediate dentures can be placed immediately after tooth extraction, allowing you to maintain your appearance and speech during the healing period.
- Protection of remaining teeth and preservation of jawbone: These dentures can help protect the remaining teeth and preserve bone tissue in the jaw by acting as a bandage over the extraction site.
- Cost-effective: They’re often more cost-effective than traditional dentures, as they require fewer appointments and adjustments.
- Minimal healing period: With immediate dentures, there’s no need to wait for several weeks or months for the gums and bone tissue to heal before the denture is placed.
- Increased comfort: Immediate dentures can help reduce discomfort and pain associated with tooth extraction, as they act as a bandage over the extraction site.
- Better fit: They’re created using impressions taken before tooth extraction, which allows for a more accurate and customized fit compared to traditional dentures.
The Immediate Denture Process
Most patients will experience the following when receiving immediate dentures:
- Initial Exam: Our dentist will start by examining your oral health to determine if immediate dentures are best. He’ll examine your teeth and gums and take X-rays and impressions of your mouth.
- Preparing for the Procedure: Your procedure date will be scheduled once it’s determined that immediate dentures are the best option. On the day of your procedure, make sure you have arrangements made for getting home safely, as you may not be ok to drive home. Plan to eat soft foods for a few days while your gums heal.
- Tooth Extraction: Our dentist will extract any teeth that need removing before placing your dentures. Extraction may be done with dental sedation or local anesthesia depending on your preferences or the extent of the extractions.
- Denture Fitting: Once your remaining teeth have been extracted, our dentist will take another set of impressions and use them to create your custom dentures. Your temporary dentures will be placed in your mouth, allowing you to leave the dental office with a full set of teeth.
- Final Restoration: Your permanent set of dentures will be created and you’ll come back to practice once they’re ready. Adjustments will be made as needed to ensure they fit comfortably in your mouth.
Do You Qualify for Immediate Dentures?
The following factors will be taken into consideration when determining your candidacy for immediate dentures:
- Reason for Tooth Loss: Immediate dentures are typically used for patients who have lost their teeth due to trauma, decay, periodontal disease, or other reasons and wish to have replacement teeth immediately.
- Remaining Teeth: They’re especially common for people who only have a few remaining natural teeth that are in poor health and require extraction.
- Aesthetic and Functional Concerns: Individuals who are concerned about being seen without teeth or who need to maintain chewing function for dietary or professional reasons might opt for immediate dentures.
- Bone and Gum Health: The condition of the underlying bone and gums will be a factor. While immediate dentures can be placed after extractions, the long-term success depends on healthy gums and jawbone to support the denture.
- Financial Considerations: Immediate dentures might be more expensive initially because of the immediate fabrication and the subsequent adjustments needed. However, for some people, the convenience and aesthetic benefits outweigh the cost.
- Age: While age isn’t necessarily a direct factor, younger individuals may heal faster, which might impact the timing of adjustments. Conversely, older individuals might have additional considerations, such as bone resorption or systemic health concerns, that could influence the decision.
Contact our Wasilla dental office today by calling (907) 373-2440 to schedule an appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
As with any dental procedure, there are some risks associated with immediate dentures. These include infection, irritation of the gums, and difficulty adjusting to wearing the dentures. However, your dentist can help minimize these risks and provide guidance on how to care for your dentures.
Your dentist can help determine if immediate dentures are a good option for you based on your individual needs and goals. They’ll assess your oral health and discuss your options with you, including alternative treatments such as partial dentures or dental implants.
Immediate dentures may feel a bit uncomfortable at first, as your mouth adjusts to the new prosthesis. However, your dentist can make adjustments to ensure they fit properly and are comfortable to wear.
Smile Freely With Immediate Dentures
With an experienced and caring dentist, the latest technology, and a commitment to patient satisfaction, Dr. Dawson can help you get the smile you want. Whether you need immediate dentures due to multiple extractions or simply want to avoid the discomfort of being without teeth, Northwind Dental can provide you with a comfortable and effective solution.
Schedule your appointment today by calling our Wasilla dentist at (907) 373-2440 and experiencing the quality care and personalized attention that we’re known for.