Dentures

You can enjoy a more comfortable, more functional tooth-replacing full or partial denture. At Dr Yani's Office, we provide several treatment options that are custom-made to enhance your appearance and your life. If you are a candidate for dentures and live in the South Florida, then turn to the experienced dentist of Dr Yani whose talent and skill has custom crafted dentures to help patients speak, eat, and smile with confidence. There are few types of denture options; complete dentures, over denture, and partial dentures. Dr McConnell will consult and help determine which option is the best solution for you. Complete dentures replace all teeth in your mouth. A partial denture fills in the spaces created by missing teeth with false teeth that are made to match and blend in with your existing teeth.

As an alternative to dentures, we also offer dental implants. Read more about dentures below, or contact our office to schedule an appointment.


Why Get Dentures?

Missing teeth can negatively affect eating, speaking, and the aesthetics of your smile. They also can cause your jaw to lose bone mass along with your remaining teeth to shift and your face to suffer alterations in appearance. Most importantly, missing teeth tarnish the beauty of your smile and tend to cause patients with missing teeth to be self conscious about smiling and laughing freely.

Custom-crafted dentures restore the look and function of your smile and are easy to maintain. Today's dentures are natural-looking, more comfortable than ever, and last for decades with proper care. If you are missing one or more teeth, you should look into dentures as a long-term solution, as well as alternatives such as dental bridges and dental implants.


Types of Dentures

There are many types of dentures, each designed to remedy specific dental problems.

If you are missing only a few teeth, partial dentures may be a great choice for you. If you happen to be missing more teeth, complete dentures may be needed. Complete dentures can only be fitted after any remaining teeth are extracted and the gums have healed.

We also offer Complete or immediate dentures, and over dentures.

• Complete or full dentures are made when all of your natural teeth are missing. You can have a full denture on your upper or lower jaw, or both. Complete dentures are called "conventional" or "immediate" according to when they are made and when they are inserted into the mouth. Immediate dentures are inserted immediately after the removal of the remaining teeth. To make this possible, the dentist takes measurements and makes the models of the patient's jaws during a preliminary visit.
  
  An advantage of immediate dentures is that the patient does not have to be without teeth during the healing period. However, bones and gums can shrink over time, especially during the period of healing in the first six months after the removal of teeth. When gums shrink, immediate dentures may require rebasing or relining to fit properly. A conventional denture can then be made once the tissues have healed. Healing may take at least 6-8 weeks.


• Over dentures is a removable denture that fits over a small number of remaining natural teeth or implants. The natural teeth must be prepared to provide stability and support for the denture. Partial dentures are often a solution when several teeth are missing. Removable partial dentures usually consist of replacement teeth attached to pink or gum-colored plastic bases that are connected by metal framework. Removable partial dentures attach to your natural teeth with metal clasps or precision attachments. Precision attachments are generally more esthetic than metal clasps and are nearly invisible. Crowns on your natural teeth may improve the fit of a removable partial denture and they are usually required with attachments.


• Implant-retained dentures lock onto dental implants placed in the mouth.

Crafting and Fitting Dentures

Regardless of type, crafting and fitting dentures is a multi-step process. We work to make the process efficient and comfortable, while taking all the steps to ensure a superior fit and a natural-looking result.

The denture process takes about one month and five appointments: the initial diagnosis is made; an impression and a wax bite are made to determine vertical dimensions and proper jaw position; a "try-in" is placed to assure proper color, shape and fit; and the patient`s final denture is placed, following any minor adjustments.

First, an impression of your jaw is made using special materials. In addition, measurements are made to show how your jaws relate to one another and how much space is between them (bite relationship). The color or shade of your natural teeth will also be determined. The impression, bite and shade are given to the dental laboratory so a denture can be custom-made for your mouth.

The dental laboratory makes a mold or model of your jaw, places the teeth in a wax base, and carves the wax to the exact form wanted in the finished denture. Usually a "wax try-in" of the denture will be done at our office, so any adjustments can be done before the denture is completed. The denture is completed at the dental laboratory. When this process is complete, you should be free to enjoy your dentures for many years to come!


Contact Dr McConnell for All Types of Dentures

We realize that missing teeth are a common problem, but fortunately there is a wide range of great solutions that will give you back your smile! Dr Yani is experienced in helping patients explore their options, helping them select dentures that can let them enjoy their lives and smile with confidence. Please contact Dr McConnell today to learn more.