Dentures – Midlothian, TX

Effects of Missing Teeth

Tooth enamel is the strongest material in the entire body. However, it isn’t completely indestructible. Teeth can become damaged and lost in many different ways, including tooth decay, gum disease, and trauma to the mouth. According to the American Academy of Periodontology, there are numerous negative effects of tooth loss, including facial sagging, difficulty speaking, trouble eating, and low self-confidence. By replacing your missing teeth with dentures, you can improve all of these areas, resulting in a better overall quality of life.

What Qualifies You for Dentures?

Dentures are an option for people who are missing multiple, most of, or all of their teeth. Depending on the number of teeth you are missing and where they are located in the mouth, our team can put together a customized treatment plan to meet your needs. It’s crucial that you currently have good oral health before you can get new dentures, so any existing tooth decay or gum disease must be addressed beforehand. Once your existing teeth and gums are looking good, we can plan the rest of the denture process.

Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options

If dentures don’t sound like your cup of tea, but you still want to replace your missing teeth, you might benefit from another tooth replacement option. Here are the other ones that we offer:

• Dental Bridge: A dental bridge works by “bridging” the gap in your smile with a replacement tooth. The replacement tooth, also known as a “pontic,” is supported by two dental crowns that are placed on the adjacent teeth. This is ideal for those who are only missing one or a few consecutive teeth.
• Dental Implants: A dental implant is a screw-like post that is surgically inserted into the jawbone to support a replacement tooth. This requires that the patient has a healthy jawbone. Dental implants have a higher upfront cost, but they are made to last for many decades or even the rest of your life!

Learn More About Dental Bridges

Learn More About Dental Implants

Psychological Benefits

You probably didn’t choose to lose your permanent teeth, and it can be difficult to accept the resulting changes. Gaps in your grin can leave you feeling self-conscious enough that your confidence suffers. When you’re concerned about how others might perceive your dental condition, you’re more likely to feel anxious, depressed, or unwilling to participate in social activities. You might worry that you won’t be clearly understood or could embarrass yourself over dinner.

Once you start wearing dentures, you’ll look and feel more like yourself, which can boost your confidence and allow you to enjoy socializing once again.

Clearer Enunciation

Your teeth play a crucial role in enunciating different words because you form certain sounds by pressing your tongue against them. Without a full set, you could develop a lisp or other speech impediments that hinder your ability to communicate with others.

Dentures act as artificial teeth that allow you to continue conversing like you’re used to. With your restoration in place, it can take about a month for your tongue and other supporting muscles to relearn the basics. With some time, patience, and practice, you’ll be able to speak as smoothly as ever.

Improves Nutrition

Your body requires a variety of foods to obtain all the ingredients it needs to function at its peak. Unfortunately, many wholesome options, like raw fruits and veggies or tough meats, are harder to chew. That means if you’re missing teeth, you might develop gastrointestinal issues because you can’t sufficiently break things down into easily digestible pieces. You could also become malnourished if you stick to soft foods that aren’t as nutritious.

Dentures restore your ability to mash your food adequately for a strong, healthy body.

Preserves Oral Health

If you still have some natural teeth left in your mouth, it’s normal to want to do everything you can to preserve them. However, they’re prone to shifting out of alignment to fill in the spaces left behind by the ones that went missing. Over time, this can wear down your enamel unevenly which contributes to injuries like cracks or chips.

With dentures in place, your remaining teeth will stay in their rightful places to protect and preserve your grin.  

Expands Opportunities

According to a study completed in 2019, the probability of being employed was negatively associated with poor oral health. This is because one of the first things people notice about you is your smile, and aesthetic imperfections are viewed as unattractive. It can communicate that you don’t know how to take care of yourself, which isn’t overly inspiring to potential bosses or romantic partners.

Refurbishing your mouth with dentures can give you the confidence you need to make a great first impression at your next job interview or first date.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Dentures

The overall cost of a set of dentures is mostly determined by three factors, those being:

• What preparations are necessary: If you need gum disease treatments or tooth extractions before receiving dentures, the cost of these treatments will be reflected in your final bill.
• The materials used for the base: Dentures are made from high-quality acrylic that mimics the appearance of natural gum tissue.
• The materials used for the replacement teeth: The artificial teeth in a set of dentures are usually made from sturdy ceramic materials so they can look and work like real teeth.

You’re probably going to be spending a lot of time with your dentures, so cheaper is not always better. A low-quality dental restoration may feel uncomfortable, look unnatural, or even cause oral injuries or infections due to a poor fit.

Are Implant Dentures More Expensive?

Implant dentures are anchored with several titanium posts surgically placed within the jaw, giving them several major advantages over traditional restorations. Patients with implant dentures will not have to worry about their appliance sliding about in their mouth, falling out when chewing or speaking, or having difficulty eating tough, chewy, or crunchy foods. While traditional dentures can last for up to ten years before needing replacement, implant dentures can potentially last much longer. The cost of the dental implants used to keep implant dentures in place will be reflected in the final bill, and while this makes them more expensive, the expense can be well worth it.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dentures?

Since dentures are usually considered a major restorative treatment, they are usually covered at about 50% by most insurance plans. However, every dental insurance policy is different, so yours may cover your dentures more or less than anticipated. We’ll be happy to go over the details of your policy so you know exactly what you can expect to pay out of pocket.

Other Options for Making Dentures Affordable

We also offer several options to make dentures more economical for patients on a budget. These include:

• Financing: We partner with trusted third-party financiers like CareCredit, LendingClub, and Green Sky to give you access to a range of payment plans that can break your bill into small monthly installments that can be easily managed with little to no interest.
• In-office savings plans: For a low monthly fee, uninsured patients can enjoy two professional cleanings, two regular exams and screenings, one fluoride treatment, routine x-rays, and one emergency exam as well as 10% to 25% off procedures completed at our office.

The best way to learn more about what you can expect to pay for dentures is to schedule a consultation at our office. During this appointment, we will go over your options in detail so you can find the best way to achieve your ideal smile.