Dentures

Springfield, Holyoke, Longmeadow, and Wilbraham, MA Cosmetic Dentist

Have you lost one or more teeth and are you wondering how best to replace them? With missing teeth, it can be difficult to chew, speak properly or smile with confidence. There may also be dental and facial deterioration:

• Sagging of facial muscles
• Deterioration of the jaw bone
• Shifting of adjacent teeth
• Tooth decay
• Further tooth loss

At Baystate Dental, our experienced cosmetic dentists can fit you with conventional dentures to replace your missing teeth and restore your smile.

Partial Dentures

A partial denture is used if you have lost fewer teeth and the gaps in your smile are smaller. You must still have some natural teeth to support it. You can choose either a fixed or a removable partial denture:

• A permanent partial denture is the same thing as a dental bridge. It can be supported in either of two ways. Either dental crowns are placed on the adjacent teeth and attached to the replacement tooth or teeth; or dental implants in the jawbone anchor support the new teeth.
• A removable partial denture is like a removable bridge and includes a gum-colored plastic base. It is held in place by a metal framework and can be taken out of the mouth at any time.

Complete Dentures

Complete dentures can restore an entire mouthful of missing teeth. There are two types of complete dentures:

• Immediate dentures: These are made before removal of the teeth and are worn immediately while your gums and jaw bone heal. Because the soft tissue and bones tend to change shape as they heal, it is usually necessary to have the dentures adjusted.
• Conventional dentures: These are made after your gum tissue and bones have fully healed, which usually takes two to three months. They will be custom-made for the shape your mouth has after healing.

Some people choose to wear immediate dentures while they are healing and then have conventional dentures made for permanent use.

Mini Dental Implants

Not everyone likes the way dentures feel or function. At Baystate Dental, we are happy to offer you mini dental implants to help make your traditional dentures more secure, more comfortable and easier to maintain.

With local anesthesia or light sedation to make you more comfortable, mini dental implants can be positioned in the jawbone within two hours. We use a precise, controlled, minimally invasive surgical technique and allow the implant tops to protrude from the gum tissue.

A retaining fixture is incorporated into the base of your denture. The head of the mini dental implant is shaped like a ball and the retaining fixture acts like a socket with a rubber O-ring. The P-ring snaps over the ball when the denture is seated and holds it with a predetermined level of force. When seated, the denture gently rests on the gum tissue. The mini dental implant fixtures allow for micro-mobility while withstanding natural lifting forces and provide a solid foundation for your dentures.

Alternative to Dentures

Dental implants are a permanent solution to tooth loss. During this procedure, we surgically implant a titanium screw in the jaw bone to act as a replacement tooth root. After your jaw bone has successfully fused with it, we can attach a post to its top surface that will protrude above the gum line and hold a natural-looking replacement tooth. This entire process can take anywhere from three to twelve months to fully complete.

If you are in the Springfield, MA area and would like to learn more about dentures and mini dental implants, please contact the cosmetic dentist at Baystate Dental today for a personal consultation.