Dentures for Severe or Total Tooth Loss
There are several things that can contribute to severe or total tooth loss (edentulism). For example, losing one or a couple of teeth and failing to replace them in time can increase your risks of losing more teeth, creating a domino effect of tooth loss. Or, accidental trauma or a chronic health issue may cause you to lose several or all of your teeth over time. To address the problem, we can custom-design a partial or complete denture to replace the teeth you’ve lost and, if applicable, support the healthy, natural teeth that remain.
Partial and complete dentures
A denture is a custom dental prosthesis designed to span your entire dental ridge. A complete denture includes an entire row of replacement teeth along its base. A partial denture only contains replacement teeth where necessary, leaving room for the prosthesis to fit around the teeth that still remain. Partial and complete dentures are frequently crafted from highly lifelike materials, such as porcelain or zirconia, giving them a highly realistic look and feel. The replacement teeth on your partial or full denture will also be highly durable and able to restore most of your bite’s full function.
Dentures on dental implants
Whether you need to replace several or all of your teeth on one or both dental ridges, we may recommend choosing a prosthesis that’s supported on a series of dental implants. By choosing dental implant posts, you can do more to rebuild your smile and bite function than would be possible with a conventional denture. That’s because implants replace the roots of your lost teeth as well as their visible structures, which provides a number of benefits for your oral health, including:
- No denture slippage – When a denture is supported by dental implants, the implant posts anchor it sturdily to your jawbone. Unlike traditional dentures that rely on adhesives, this prevents your prosthesis from losing its grip and slipping or shifting over time.
- Reduced jawbone erosion – One of the biggest problems with tooth loss, and one of the reasons why conventional dentures slip, is because your jawbone loses mass and density after losing teeth roots. Dental implants help prevent this erosion to preserve your jawbone’s health and integrity.
- Less risk of facial collapse – In addition to making your jawbone smaller, the gradual erosion of your jawbone’s structure also creates a visual effect known as facial collapse. Dental implant dentures help prevent the collapse of surrounding oral and facial structures to preserve your smile’s healthy, youthful appearance.
Enjoy a full smile again
Whether you’ve lost several or all of the teeth on your upper and/or lower dental ridge, we can design a partial or complete denture to fully rebuild your smile. To learn more, schedule a consultation at Healthy Smiles Family Dentistry in Houston, TX, today by calling (281) 974-4494.