When you are missing all or most of your permanent teeth, this makes everyday life more challenging than it has to be. You may find that you are unable to pronounce words as well as you used to. You have to restrict your diet when you are unable to chew your food properly.
Our dental practice, Gwaltney Dental, has the latest and greatest dental technologies to help you restore your smile following tooth loss. We offer custom dentures & partials to patients who are missing all or most of their teeth. Learn more about dentures & partials below.
Dentures & Partials in Suffolk, VA
Dr. Steve Gwaltney, Dr. J.Ryland Gwaltney, and Dr. Whitney Gwaltney are experienced in restorative dentistry in Suffolk, VA. They are happy to help patients missing most or all of their teeth restore their smiles using dentures & partials. Our custom-made dentures & partials are made with impressions of your own soft tissues, ensuring a comfortable and snug fit while in use.
Patients in need of dentures & partials can greatly benefit from Gwaltney Dental. Not only will we prepare your dentures & partials for you, but we will also inform you of how to best take care of your restored smile so that it will last you for many, many years to come.
Gwaltney Dental offers traditional dentures in addition to denture implants. Traditional removable dentures are more affordable and can be ready in less than a month. Denture implants are more expensive and will take months to complete the process. However, dentures held in place by dental implants offer better retention and will resemble natural teeth more closely.
Caring For Dentures
Dentures & partials require specific care instructions that are different than the oral hygiene requirements of your natural teeth. Because they are artificial teeth, you will need to always ensure that they are kept moist when not in use. Place your dentures in denture solution to keep them from drying up, as this may cause them to warp and lose their shape.
When you rinse your dentures off, make sure that the water is not too hot, as this may also interfere with their fit.
While you can wear your dentures & partials throughout the day, we encourage patients to take them off at night to give their soft tissues the chance to relax. This will ensure that you do not experience denture discomfort or sore gums while you are using your dentures.
Regular toothbrushes and toothpaste cause damage to dentures. Instead, you should use denture-specific cleaning products. Your doctor will go over all aftercare instructions and product recommendations during your appointment. We will ensure you feel confident in caring for your dentures. We still recommend visiting our office once every six months, even after you have received your dentures so that we can keep a close eye on the fit of your dentures as well as the health of your soft tissues.
Dentures & Partials FAQs
How many hours a day should you wear partial dentures?
A general rule of thumb is that you should wear your dentures for at least 8 hours each day. This will provide your jawbone and gums time to adjust to the dentures and stop sore patches from forming. We recommend that you remove them at night as this gives your gums a chance to relax. We also recommend removing them out when eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing.
What to expect when wearing partial dentures for the first time?
When wearing dentures for the first few days, it’s common for uncomfortable sore spots to appear and for your gums to be swollen. Your saliva production could also be higher. As your gums heal, the tissue contracts and returns to normal.
How soon can you eat after getting partial dentures?
Making oral functions easier, such as chewing, is one of the reasons to have a partial denture for a lost tooth. After getting a partial denture, you can eat right away, however it is very important that you change your diet for the first few weeks as you adjust to the new appliance.
Is it better to get full dentures or partials?
If some natural teeth can be preserved, partials are a much better option than a complete denture to replace missing teeth in your lower jaw. A removable complete lower denture is typically difficult for patients to get used to. It is much easier to adjust to a partial denture, than to a full set.
What can you not eat with partial dentures?
We recommend that patients with partial dentures avoid foods that are particularly hard or sticky. These can be difficult to chew and add excess pressure dentures that may cause them to break.
How do partials stay in place?
Partials are held in place using clasps that wrap around natural teeth to keep them in position. They attach to your natural teeth to replace any gaps where teeth are missing. If you are missing an entire row of teeth you may need to get a full set of dentures instead of partials.
Is it OK to sleep with partial dentures?
Regardless of the type of dentures you are using, wearing them to sleep is not advised. It is very important that you give your gums a chance to rest, and that give yourself a designated time to clean your dentures. Wearing dentures at night, or to sleep can cause a variety of problems down the road.
Do partials hurt at first?
It is common for patients to experience discomfort with partials, especially during the first few weeks wearing them. It will take time for you to adjust to the feeling of wearing your partials. It is important to be patient as they settle because as time goes on, you will adjust and they should not cause any pain.
Request A Dental Exam Today
You don’t have to live life without a beautiful and healthy smile. If you are missing all or most of your teeth, Gwaltney Dental welcomes you to our practice to learn more about your tooth replacement options. Please schedule an appointment online, and we look forward to seeing you in our Suffolk, VA dentist office very soon.