Advances in modern technology and science brings you a variety of denture options that come in several different configurations to help you replace the teeth you are missing. Dr. Bockrath can create natural-looking appliances that fit your gums snugly, preventing the wiggling and loose grip often associated with dentures. Our team at Mountain Aire Dentistry in Broomfield, Colorado, is dedicated to helping you achieve the smile that you desire and will work with you to create the best treatment plan for your particular dental needs.

What Are Dentures Used For?

Dentures are dental appliances used to replace missing teeth. They come in all different kinds of configurations and types depending on the patient’s unique needs. Dentures are used to restore your beautiful smile, but they are important for more than just cosmetic reasons.  When you are missing teeth, you can expect to be confronted with various challenges that affect your overall health and lifestyle. Missing teeth can affect how you chew and eat and impact your overall nutrition. They can also cause difficulty in speaking, put stress on other teeth that have to do more work, cause your teeth to shift (drift) and change your facial appearance. Without support from missing teeth, facial muscles sag, making a person look older.

Am I a Candidate for Dentures?

The best candidates for dentures are patients that suffer from significant tooth loss due to injury, genetics, or periodontal disease. Unfortunately, there are cases when dentures will not work for our patients.  There has to be enough healthy gum tissue and jawbone structure for the denture to secure to. In some cases, it is necessary to first restore the health of the gum tissue and/or bone structure (through bone grafts or other methods) if there isn’t sufficient material to allow the dentures to stay in place.  Patients that are only missing a few teeth may benefit from a dental bridge. Dental bridges are used to fill the spaces left by missing teeth by attaching to the teeth neighboring the gaps and using prosthetic teeth to fill the gaps.

Patients that are considering dentures must be willing to care for their dentures properly in order to be an ideal candidate.  Dentures need to be treated with care and good oral hygiene habits are necessary to keep the patient’s mouth healthy.

What Denture Options Are There?

There are three main categories of dentures that you can receive at Mountain Aire Dentistry depending on your individual needs:

• Partial Dentures.  A partial denture is used to replace one or more teeth, but less than an entire arch.  Partial dentures are fastened by clasps that anchor the partial to your neighboring teeth.
• Full (Complete) Dentures.  Full dentures replace an entire set of teeth–both lower and upper.  They are customized, replacement teeth that restore your beautiful smile, correct your bite, and restore your facial appearance. Lower full dentures rest on the gums and are secured over the gums and jawbone. Upper full dentures are held in place by the suction created between the denture and the roof of your mouth.
• Implant-Secured Dentures.  These dentures are removable like traditional dentures, but they are firmly secured in place by two or more dental implants.  This category of denture is often preferred because it provides improved function, puts less stress on neighboring teeth, and is less likely to slip than traditional dentures.  Implant-assisted removable partial dentures (IRPD) require the strategic placement of a few select implants and connect to the overlying denture through a stud screwed into the implant. These implants don’t require the unsightly clasps in traditional dentures and eliminate the display of metal parts on the removable partial denture.  They are preferred because they increase the support, strength and retention to the final restoration.

Implants vs. Dentures

In recent years, more and more patients have been turning to implant-based solutions for missing teeth instead of traditional dentures.  The main reasons for this shift are based on the increased support, stability and retention dental implants provide over traditional dentures. This stability improves the way you speak and the way you are able to chew your food.  Data also suggests that dental implants put less load on neighboring teeth and structures preserving more natural tooth tissue and reducing the need for restorative work on adjacent teeth as time goes on. Without worrying about your dentures slipping or moving you also feel more confident with your smile and with speaking and interacting with others.

Call for a Dentures Consultation

If you would like to learn more about your denture options, contact Mountain Aire Dentistry in Broomfield, Colorado, for a free consultation. During your visit, we will answer any questions you may have and provide expert recommendations on how dentures can help you achieve your smile goals.  Dr. Bockrath is a family dentist in Broomfield, Colorado, with convenient access to the communities of Thornton, Broomfield, Northglenn and Westminster.