Dentures in Arlington Heights, IL
Dr. Brent Engelberg has extensive post-graduate training in restorative dental treatments. They emphasize the many benefits of replacing missing teeth and offer a range of options for patients, including dentures, partial dentures, and dentures secured by dental implants.
Today, patients enjoy a wide range of treatment possibilities when replacing missing teeth, and your Arlington Heights Smiles dentist will discuss all appropriate options after a thorough dental exam and discussion of your concerns, goals, and budget.
Despite the advances in treatment options, dentures remain a popular choice. Dentures can provide an economical, natural-looking, and functional new smile when designed and fitted for you by an experienced cosmetic dentist like Dr. Engelberg. With an eye for aesthetics and symmetry, Dr. Engelberg can create a custom cosmetic denture that will blend with your appearance and fit comfortably to enable normal speech and a healthy diet.
Implant-Supported Vs. Traditional Dentures
Traditional and implant-supported dentures offer solutions when it comes to replacing missing teeth. However, implant-supported dentures provide many advantages over their traditional counterparts. These benefits improve not only your oral health but also your overall quality of life.
Enhanced Stability and Comfort
Traditional dentures rest on the gums and rely on suction, adhesives, or clasps to stay in place. While this can work for some people, many experience slipping, shifting, or discomfort when eating or speaking. Implant-supported dentures solve this problem by anchoring to dental implants securely placed in the jawbone. The implants act like natural tooth roots, providing a stable foundation.
This increased stability allows you to enjoy your favorite foods without fear of dentures moving out of place. Crunchy apples, chewy steak, and even sticky desserts become manageable again. Implant-supported dentures also prevent the sore spots or gum irritation often caused by ill-fitting traditional dentures.
Improved Jawbone Health
One of the most significant benefits of implant-supported dentures is how they promote jawbone health. When you lose a tooth, the jawbone in that area begins to shrink due to lack of stimulation. Traditional dentures do not address this issue since they simply rest on top of the gums.
Dental implants, however, mimic the natural roots of teeth. They stimulate the jawbone every time you chew, preventing bone loss and maintaining the structure of your face. Over time, this helps preserve your facial appearance, preventing the sunken look often associated with tooth loss and traditional dentures.
Better Speech
Traditional dentures can sometimes cause speech difficulties, especially if they slip or shift while you talk. This can make pronouncing certain words challenging or cause embarrassing clicking noises. Implant-supported dentures stay securely in place, allowing for clear, confident speech.
With implant-supported dentures, you don’t have to worry about your dentures falling out mid-conversation or during a laugh. This boost in confidence helps many people feel more at ease in social situations.
Long-Term Cost Effectiveness
Although implant-supported dentures require a higher initial investment, they often prove more cost-effective. Traditional dentures may need frequent adjustments, relining, or even replacement as your jawbone continues to shrink. These recurring costs can add up.
In contrast, implant-supported dentures offer a more permanent solution. Once dental implants are placed, they integrate with your jawbone and provide lasting support for your dentures. This durability reduces the need for future adjustments or replacements, making them a smart long-term investment.
Improved Oral Hygiene and Convenience
Implant-supported dentures are easier to care for than traditional options. Many are fixed in place, meaning you can brush and clean them like natural teeth. This simplifies your oral hygiene routine and helps keep your mouth healthy.
With traditional dentures, you must remove and soak them daily. This can be time-consuming and inconvenient. Implant-supported dentures eliminate this hassle, fitting seamlessly into your daily life.
Greater Confidence and Quality of Life
The combination of stability, comfort, and functionality makes implant-supported dentures a life-changing option for many people. You can eat, talk, and smile without worrying about your dentures moving out of place. Additionally, the natural look and feel of implant-supported dentures boost self-confidence.
People with implant-supported dentures often report feeling more like themselves again. They enjoy renewed freedom and independence, allowing them to focus on living their lives without limitations.
Why Replace Missing Teeth?
Missing teeth, even “just one,” can lead to a wide range of complex dental problems, ultimately affecting your quality of life. The health of your smile depends upon each tooth and the supporting structure, such as the gums and the jaw bone. When a tooth is lost, even just one, things begin to change- and not for the better.
Over time, the remaining teeth will shift and change the bite. In addition, a missing tooth can increase the risk of developing periodontal disease and lead to bone loss and shrinkage in the jaw. These issues lead to poor oral health and affect speech and diet, making it difficult to enjoy the benefits and pleasures of a varied diet.
Losing most, if not all, of your teeth, can seriously impact your quality of life. We understand how this can affect your social life and the many difficulties that come with substantial tooth loss. Fortunately, we can discuss options for replacing your lost teeth. What do you know about dentures?
Dentures FAQs
Dentures are one of the most popular methods to replace missing teeth. Learn more by reading the answers to these commonly asked questions.
What causes tooth loss?
A variety of factors can lead to missing teeth. Poor oral hygiene can lead to infection or advanced periodontal disease (periodontitis), which can cause tooth loss. Injury can also lead to one or more missing teeth.
Why do I need to replace missing teeth?
Without replacement, tooth loss can lead to many oral health problems. First, once one or more teeth become lost, the remaining teeth may drift from alignment, causing misalignment. An uneven smile can increase the risk of cavities, gum disease, TMJ disorder, and bruxism (teeth grinding). In addition, a person may have difficulty eating or being understood when speaking, which has a major impact on a person’s quality of life.
Do I need a partial prosthetic?
If you have lost multiple teeth but don’t need a full set of dentures, partials may be your solution. Partials replace several lost teeth spread across an arch. The prosthetic contains replacement teeth and a base designed to mimic the appearance of gum tissue. Metal clasps attach the prosthetic to the remaining natural teeth, securing the partial in place.
What are full dentures?
If you have lost all of your teeth, a full prosthetic can replace all of the teeth on one or both arches. A full denture will look natural and help patients regain the ability to eat and speak easily.
Can dentures make you look different?
Dentures can change the shape of your face in various ways. If you have been missing teeth or have had bad-fitting dentures, the change may be for the better. Hopefully, if they change your appearance, it is positive since they are fixing the structure of your teeth.
What can I eat with dentures?
After getting dentures, one may feel discomfort while eating and speaking. This should only last a few weeks at most. Many patients eat soft foods for this period to adjust to their new teeth. Dentures are supposed to act like normal teeth. Once they have adjusted, one should be able to eat regularly with them. Some tips on doing this are to chew with both sides of your mouth to spread out pressure and take smaller bites so there is less food to chew.
What material can we make dentures out of?
Dentists can make dentures from various materials, such as acrylic, nylon, porcelain, resin, or metal. These materials are moldable and fit well into a patient’s mouth while still looking and feeling like real teeth. Porcelain lasts the longest and is most commonly used, but they are all solid options. If you are curious about different denture materials, ask your dentist what they recommend may be best for you.
Schedule A Dental Exam with our Dentist in Arlington Heights
If you have missing teeth, come in for a consultation with Dr. Engelberg. Arlington Heights Smiles serves many local communities, including Long Grove, IL; Deerfield, IL; Northbrook, IL; Buffalo Grove, IL; Arlington Heights, IL; and many other local Chicago suburbs. Your consultation will include a thorough dental examination to evaluate your oral health and the opportunity to discuss your concerns and long-term goals to ensure that your treatment provides the desired results.