When a person loses all of their teeth on the upper or lower jaw, it is imperative that they act in a timely manner.  Doing nothing can have very severe consequences.  Fortunately, there are several options a person can take that can help remedy the situation.

If a person is already wearing a denture, he or she can have it modified.

The individual can get a new conventional denture.

A person can invest in an implant supported denture, which is the best possible option for tooth replacement

The person can procrastinate, and by delaying treatment, make the situation worse.

Delaying treatment

If a person does nothing, the jawbone will continue to shrink because of missing teeth.  This will make future treatments more difficult and costly.

Wearing an implant denture

An implant supported denture is also known as a fixed denture.  The implant is embedded in the jawbone, but the denture itself can be removed when it needs to be cleaned, or when a person is sleeping.  

Depending on the individuals situation and state of overall health, an implant supported denture may not be an option

If the patient smokes, this can prevent him or her from being a candidate for dental implants.  Implantation involves surgery and a 3-6 month healing process.  Smoking interferes with the healing process.

If someone is diabetic or has severe gum disease, that person may also not be able to wear implant supported dentures. 

If a person has lost a significant amount of bone mass, he or she will possibly have to do a bone graft to rebuild the jaw enough to support implantation.  If there is Periodontal disease present, the dentist will probably have to perform LANAP treatment first so the gums can handle the surgery.  This can be a long, drawn out, and costly procedure.

Financial complications often arise if dental insurance does not cover implants.  Again, we strongly maintain that implants are the best road to take, but if they are not possible at the present time, there are still other options a patient can explore

Modifying a current denture

The denture may not fit very well due to the changes that inevitably occur in a mouth with missing teeth.  Often, a simple relinement and adjustment is all that is necessary to restore a proper fit that is comfortable and functional.  On many occasions, we can make a better-fitting denture base as well, so that we can reuse the teeth in your current denture. 

Wearing a conventional denture

Conventional dentures are custom fitted for the patient 6-8 weeks after teeth have been lost.  After the initial, immediate dentures no longer ft, the patient is ready for a standard denture.

Conventional dentures are needed to replace either an upper or lower arch of missing teeth.   They work well in the beginning, but over a period of time, the jawbone shrinks because tooth roots are now gone.  This shrinkage changes the shape of your mouth, cheeks, and lips.  This is why dentists recommend implant supported dentures as the best alternative to conventional dentures whenever the patient qualifies for implant procedures.

Houston Cosmetic Dentistry is a specialized field that requires extensive knowledge and experience to be done correctly. The Medical Center Dental Group in Houston, Texas brings all of that and more to the direct benefit of each and every patient we treat. Although we are located in the world famous Houston Medical Center at Scurlock Towers, we routinely see dental patients who travel from Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Beaumont and Midland Texas to see Dr. Dale Brant, Dr. Charles Campbell or Dr. Elizabeth OSullivan-Winslow for their cosmetic denistry services.