Dentures – Santa Fe, NM
Fill Out Your Smile in Style!
Missing most or even all of your teeth can completely change the way that you live your life, and more than that, how you feel about yourself. That’s why dentures are such a valuable treatment— no matter how many teeth you’ve lost, you can use this procedure to replace all of them in one fell swoop.
If you’re near Santa Fe, NM, the team here at Juniper Dental can use this prosthetic to help you fill out your smile in style! Make an appointment for a consultation with us today and we’ll tell you what they can do for you.
Why Choose Juniper Dental for Dentures?
- All-on-4 Implant Dentures Available
- Advanced Technology for Sophisticated Prosthetics
- Dental Staff Attentive to Your Needs
Who's a Good Candidate for Dentures?
Dentures are generally designed for patients who are missing most or all of their teeth. So, if you are struggling with moderate to severe tooth loss, this may be the answer you’ve been looking for! The easiest way to find out is by scheduling a consultation at our Santa Fe dental office, but don’t hesitate to read on if you want to learn more in the meantime, including a few qualities of a good dentures candidate.
Effects of Missing Teeth
Whether you’ve been struggling with tooth loss for several months or several decades, you know first-hand that it can make smiling confidently, eating a varied diet, and enunciating clearly difficult. It can also lead to further tooth loss and cause the teeth surrounding the gap to move out of alignment, negatively impacting your bite even further. For all of those reasons, we recommend exploring your tooth-replacement solutions, like dentures, sooner rather than later.
What Qualifies You for Dentures?
As we mentioned above, dentures are generally designed for patients who are missing most or all of their teeth. They are also ideal for patients who don’t have any existing oral health problems. So, if you’re currently in the midst of serious periodontal disease, it will probably be necessary to deal with that before pursuing this kind of care.
During your consultation, we will review your dental history, complete a comprehensive oral exam, and learn more about your habits. If you’re missing several teeth, your gums are healthy, and you’re committed to good habits, like brushing and flossing consistently, then there’s a good chance that you’ll be a good candidate!
Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options
Now you might be wondering, “What if I’m only missing one or two teeth? If that’s the case, it’s possible that another treatment is better suited to you. Fortunately, we offer two additional solutions at our Santa Fe office:
- Dental Bridges – Dental bridges can replace one tooth or up to two teeth in a row. The replacement tooth or teeth are anchored in place with two dental crowns, which are secured to each side of the gap. Since every aspect of this restoration is custom-made with your dental needs and aesthetic goals in mind, it will look and feel extremely natural.
- Dental Implants – Dental implants can replace one tooth, several teeth in an arch, or every single one! Outside of versatility, this tooth-replacement solution is also unique because it’s inserted directly into the jawbone. Not only does this make it more stable, but it also helps prevent bone loss. Plus, with proper care, it can last for 30+ years!
Types of Dentures
There are several different kinds of dentures, and which one you should pick ultimately comes down to your individual needs. We’ll be happy to give you a recommendation when we meet you in person, but here’s what you should know about the various types of dentures until then.
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures are ideal for those patients with large gaps between their teeth, but who have some of them left. These prosthetics consist of a metal base with several acrylic or porcelain teeth attached, and are designed to be clipped onto the existing teeth.
Full Dentures
Full dentures, on the other hand, are really ideal for those patients who are missing all of their teeth on a gum ridge. This being the case, they have to adhere in place entirely via suction. They’re completely made from acrylic and are meticulously molded to fit your gums.
Implant Dentures
Implant dentures are an excellent choice for patients who want the coverage of dentures but who want more stability. This involves attaching your prosthetic to thin metal posts inserted into the jaw, affording them greater bite strength and much more durability.
The Benefits of Dentures
Missing teeth can potentially make you feel self-conscious about your dental condition in a few different ways. Whether you’re struggling to accept the sudden changes to your appearance or want to rebuild your arches so you can eat and speak more normally, Dr. Zhang and the rest of our team in Santa Fe are happy to provide customized dentures to restore your smile.
Continue reading to learn more about some of the advantages of choosing this tried-and-true solution for rebuilding after tooth loss!
Psychological Benefits
One of the first things people notice about you is the condition of your grin, and if you’ve suffered tooth loss, you might worry about being judged. Unfortunately, if you’re overly anxious, you might avoid spending time with others, which can potentially detract from your daily quality of life.
Regardless of how many of your permanent teeth were lost, our team can provide a lifelike set of dentures to restore your smile’s appearance and functionality and enhance your day-to-day experiences.
Clearer Enunciation
Some patients develop changes to their speech patterns when permanent teeth go missing, such as a lisp, slur, or other concerns. Fortunately, dentures function as artificial teeth to allow you to overcome them.
It can often take about a month for your tongue and the other supporting muscles and tissues in your mouth to acclimate to their presence. Then, you can relearn how to form different sounds to improve your enunciation.
Improves Nutrition
It’s important to eat a wholesome diet to give your body all the nutrients it needs to function at its peak, but unfortunately, plenty of healthy options are difficult to bite and chew. Gaps in your grin can make it difficult to bite or chew options like raw fruits and vegetables or lean cuts of meat.
With your dentures inserted, you can enjoy a wider variety of foods to support your oral and overall well-being.
Preserves Oral Health
Any remaining teeth still in your mouth are prone to shifting out of place to close the gaps left behind by those that went missing. This can wear down your enamel unevenly or prematurely, increasing the risk of developing cavities or sustaining injuries.
Wearing your restoration helps everything remain in the correct positions to protect your dental condition.
Expands Opportunities
Did you know that, according to a 2019 study, the probability of being employed was negatively associated with having poor oral health? If you’re missing teeth, others might falsely assume that you don’t care about your health or appearance, which is often considered unappealing.
Boosting your confidence by rebuilding your smile can help you put your best foot forward. This, in turn, can lead to better professional achievements, an engaging social calendar, and deeper relationships.