So, you are missing a lot of teeth and dental implants are not in the budget. You are wondering if you should go with a partial denture or bridge, possibly needing to have it rebuilt over and over as you lose even more teeth. Or should you simply bite the bullet, have all of your remaining teeth extracted, and then have full dentures created?

This is a hard decision and not one that you should take lightly. No one wants to lose their teeth, and it is always best to preserve your own teeth when you can. However, if you have only a few teeth left, you might want to consider extraction and full dentures.

The first step in making this decision is a thorough evaluation and discussion of the merits of trying to keep some teeth versus extractions and dentures. There are so many factors to consider, but how likely the teeth are to decay in your mouth is a very important one. If you’ve had many large cavities in the recent past, you might have a dry mouth, acidic saliva, a high number of decay-causing bacteria, or other factors that make controlling decay a tremendous challenge. The other big cause of loss of teeth is gum disease. Severe gum disease is another reason some people need to go to dentures.

If you have teeth now, you will likely want to have the dentures made in advance so they can be inserted on the day of the extractions. This way, you never have to be seen without teeth. These are called “immediate dentures”.

If you can afford a bit more, you will get a tremendous benefit from a few mini or standard implants to help stabilize and retain your dentures. Implants also preserve the bone that is typically lost after dental extractions.

No one will ever tell you that dentures are going to feel the same as your own teeth. If dentures become necessary, benefits include improved overall health through elimination of diseased teeth, improved appearance, and the ability to eat most foods. In short, if your dentures are properly made, properly fitted, and properly lined, you should be able to chew and bite successfully and speak and smile with confidence. Modern dentures can be made to look very natural, with a variety of tooth shades, shapes and arrangements customized to your face and smile. Choices include affordable economy dentures through ultra-premium dentures with handmade porcelain teeth.

Contact Us

To learn more about dentures, contact Dr. Stefanie Shore at 916-966-5269 in Carmichael. Call us for an appointment, or request one via the form on our Contact Us page.