Dentures – Columbia, MO
Bring Back Your Full Smile
When you’re missing a significant number of teeth, even simple, essential tasks like eating and speaking can become embarrassingly difficult. Here at Columbia Healthy Smiles, we offer several restorative dentistry options that can give you back the security and strength you need in a set of teeth. Dentures have been the go-to method for tooth replacement for many years, and today, many dental patients still prefer their convenience and reliability. Dr. Batson and Dr. Abe can design comfortable, custom-made full or partial dentures for Columbia, MO, dental patients who would like to regain a whole, beautiful smile fast. Call us to schedule an appointment.
Why Choose Columbia Healthy Smiles for Dentures?
- Fully Customized Full and Partial Dentures
- State-of-the-Art Dental Technology
- Long-Term Relationships with Dental Patients
Who's a Good Candidate for Dentures?
Most patients who are living without multiple teeth or entire arches can be considered good candidates for dentures in Columbia. However, before any kind of prosthetic can be created and put in place, a consultation is required with Dr. Batson. Until then, you can read on to learn a few of the qualities that we look for in a good candidate as well as the other tooth-replacement solutions that are available at our office.
Effects of Missing Teeth
Some of the downsides of tooth loss are more obvious, like low self-esteem. There are also quite a few negative effects that take patients by surprise, including trouble enunciating clearly and difficulty eating well-balanced meals. The gaps in your smile can also lead to dental drift, which can result in chronic jaw pain and premature wear. For all of these reasons, we recommend exploring your treatment options sooner rather than later.
What Qualifies You for Dentures?
As mentioned above, the best way to find out if you’re a good candidate for dentures is by scheduling a consultation with our dedicated dentist in Columbia, Dr. Batson. During this visit, he will review your dental history, complete a visual exam, and discuss your overall medical conditions and the status of your jawbone. This is especially important if you plan to move forward with any kind of implant-retained prosthetic, as it serves as the foundational support for your new teeth.
Important reminder: If you aren’t a good candidate for dentures because your gums are infected or a few of your remaining teeth have decayed, don’t get discouraged. After all, we offer several restorative treatments at our office, including gum disease treatment. So, there’s a good chance that we will be able to provide the care you need at our office, streamlining the process of creating a healthy, complete, and confident smile.
Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options
In addition to dentures, we offer two other tooth-replacement solutions at our office:
- Dental Bridges – Are you missing one tooth or up to four teeth consecutively? If so, we may recommend a dental bridge! This restoration is secured in place with two dental crowns, which are placed on each side of the gap. The prosthetic tooth or teeth “bridge” the open space, restoring your complete smile as well as the strength of your bite.
- Dental Implants – Whether you’re missing one tooth or an entire arch of teeth, you may be a candidate for dental implants! If we determine that’s the case, then we can secure a custom dental crown, bridge, or denture on top, giving you a complete smile with the utmost durability. Plus, they can last for 30+ years with proper maintenance!
If you are interested in learning more about your options, from tried-and-true dentures to state-of-the-art dental implants, then schedule a consultation with our team so we can get started!
Types of Dentures?
There are three types of dentures that you and your dentist will go over during your consultation. Based on how many teeth are missing, we will help you determine which one is right for your smile:
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures can be used to replace a unique arrangement of teeth on a certain arch so that patients can still maintain what’s left of their natural smile. They stay in place with the help of clips and brackets, and like full dentures, they’re removable.
Full Dentures
As the name implies, a full denture is designed to replicate an entire arch of teeth or even the entire mouth. It stays securely in place with natural suction; a little bit of denture adhesive can be used for additional confidence. The prosthetic is easily removable as well, allowing for easy cleaning and storage.
Implant Dentures
Implant-supported prosthetics are also available for patients who may be looking for a more confident fit. Multiple screw-like posts will be positioned along the jawbone to ensure a stable and supportive foundation for the new denture. Once in place, the individual can begin to enjoy all of the benefits these prosthetics provide (i.e., greater bite force, supreme durability, natural-looking aesthetics, etc.).
The Benefits of Dentures
Losing your teeth is no small thing, as it makes many daily tasks much more difficult. Such a loss even affects the simple act of smiling, leading to a reduced quality of life. The good news is that dentures from our practice can address this issue and enhance your everyday living. As for the specifics, we at Columbia Healthy Smiles will gladly tell you more. Just keep reading to learn about the benefits of dentures, or call our office!
Psychological Benefits
It’s only natural that tooth loss is harmful to your mental health. A full and pretty smile is something to take pride in, so lacking one will lead to low self-esteem, depression, etc. That said, dentures can prevent (and treat) such moods by restoring your complete grin. Once they fill the gaps between your remaining teeth, they should boost your confidence and leave you self-assured. The prosthetics will also ease your worries about your ability to speak, eat, and so on.
Clearer Enunciation
Since you need teeth to enunciate words, losing them leads to talking troubles. Even the loss of a few can result in slurred speech, severe lisps, and similar problems that ruin conversations. However, dentures can help you avoid these effects by restoring your entire smile. Their prosthetic teeth would support your tongue enough to form words, ensuring you can speak clearly. You’d just need to practice with them a bit first; it takes time to talk well with dentures.
Improves Nutrition
When it’s left untreated, tooth loss typically leads to a poor diet. The condition restricts meal choices by preventing you from chewing certain foods, leading to poor nutritional health and indigestion. Still, you can trust dentures to solve that matter with their substitute teeth. They’d allow you to chew tough foods again, expanding your range of potential meals in the process. This effect would lead to better nutritional health in the long term.
Preserves Oral Health
Long-term tooth loss harms oral health, as smile gaps tilt your other teeth, harbor harmful bacteria, and erode your jawbone. Your mouth will only weaken and ache more if you don’t treat it quickly. Thankfully, you can count on modern dentures as a solid treatment option. By filling your grin’s empty areas, they’d keep nearby teeth from tilting and stop bad microbes from gathering. Using dentures well would also slow the rate at which your jawbone erodes.
Expands Opportunities
Tooth loss makes relationships tricky, as good first impressions depend on a gorgeous grin. Having many smile gaps thus makes friendships and romances less stable and likely. Even so, today’s dentures are natural and lifelike enough to provide a solution. They’d give you a full and beautiful smile, restoring your ability to make a good first impression. That means they’d expand your range of social opportunities, especially with friends, family, co-workers, and romantic partners.