Dentures – Owasso, OK

Effects of Missing Teeth

Missing teeth can have a bigger impact on your oral health than you might think. Dental roots provide essential stimulation to your jawbone that encourages it to grow and maintain nutrients. Without a dental root or some sort of stimulation, your jawbone will actually start to deteriorate. Dentures can help slow the deterioration process by exerting pressure on your gums and bone when you chew.

What Qualifies You for Dentures?

Whether you’re missing a few teeth or an entire arch, dentures could be a good fit replacement solution for you. These days they’re quite versatile and can be designed with a number of different configurations, making them completely customizable to your smile.

One thing that can affect your ability to qualify for dentures is your ability to properly support them. It’s no good to receive a treatment that won’t help! Typically, patients with existing cases of oral conditions like cavities or gum disease fall into this category. However, these conditions can be treated, and after securing your oral health, we’ll most likely be able to provide you with a set of dentures that work for you.

Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options

If dentures aren’t for you, we have a variety of alternative options to choose from instead. For example:

• Implant dentures combine traditional dentures and dental implants for a sturdier, cost-effective restoration.
• In certain cases, we can provide you with a dental bridge. This is a good, low-intensity option for patients missing multiple teeth in a row.
• Finally, we could simply set you up with dental implants. A dental implant treatment involves a full root-to-crown replacement, so it takes time to complete, but is often well-worth it.

Don’t hesitate to ask us about your options during your consultation – we’ll be happy to go over these services in more detail!

Factors That Affect the Cost of Dentures

Since dentures are designed for your unique smile and come in varying sizes and shapes, we won’t be able to give you an accurate cost estimate until you’ve come in for your consultation. That said, certain factors will influence how much you’ll end up paying for your restoration. These include:

• The severity of your tooth loss, including the number of teeth missing and where they’re located.
• The materials that will be used to create your dentures.
• The type of denture you’re set to receive, which includes partials, full dentures, and implant dentures.
• Any preparatory procedures you need, such as tooth extractions or gum disease treatment.

Are Implant Dentures More Expensive?

Implant dentures tend to cost more than traditional dentures, but their higher price is directly reflected in the quality of the restorations. Implant dentures rely on dental implants to remain in place, meaning the process of getting them involves much more time and additional steps. However, given the numerous benefits that implant dentures have to offer and the massive difference they can make in a patient’s life, the price is very worthwhile. Plus, implant dentures do not need to be replaced like traditional options, making them a long-term cost-effective option.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dentures?

Dentures are often deemed medically necessary for preserving and restoring your oral health. That said, every dental insurance plan offers different benefits, but many offer a certain amount of coverage for dentures. For instance, after you’ve met your deductible, your benefits can lower the amount you’ll pay for certain steps in your treatment plan, including things like the initial consultation, certain preparatory procedures, or even the dentures themselves. Our team is happy to review the specifics of your plan with you before you commit to treatment; we know that you may have questions, and we will help you get answers!

Other Options for Making Dentures Affordable

Even if you don’t have dental insurance, there are still other ways of making dentures more affordable. In addition to being an insurance-friendly practice, our office also proudly offers several different in-house plans for our Owasso patients; these plans include provisions and discounts for all kinds of services here at our office, including dentures! Furthermore, we’re also partnered with CareCredit, a third-party financer that offers low-interest, flexible payment plans, to give patients another means of affording their dentures. Don’t hesitate to contact our office to further discuss any financial questions you may have.   

Should I have all my teeth pulled to get dentures?

Your dentist in Owasso will always recommend saving a natural tooth whenever possible, but there are times extractions are in a patient’s best interest. If a tooth is too badly damaged from decay, disease, or trauma, it may be better to have it removed. If you have several compromised teeth, it may be more cost-effective to have them extracted and replaced instead of paying for dental restorations. If we determine you need to have teeth removed, there isn’t any limit to the number we can extract per appointment; however, some cases are more complex than others. After examining your smile, we’ll create a personalized treatment plan to begin rebuilding your smile. We’ll explain everything, including any necessary extractions. You may need to wait for your mouth to heal before receiving your new denture, but we will discuss all your options during your initial consultation.

Can I sleep in my dentures?

No one wants to be caught without their teeth, but your dentist will recommend taking your dentures out at night. Upon receiving your new teeth, you’ll be instructed to wear them for the first 24 hours, including while sleeping. After that time has passed, it’s better to take them out. The circulation in your gums will be decreased by supporting your denture all day. Your tissue needs time to rest and regenerate. Removing your teeth before bed will give them the opportunity to recover to lessen the risk of infection and irritation. Research has also shown it can reduce ridge resorption. In addition to your oral health, taking your dentures out of your mouth gives you time to clean them to remove bacteria that can lead to infections, pneumonia, and odors. Whenever your dentures aren’t in your mouth, be sure they stay moist. Soak them in a denture cleaning solution while sleeping to kill any bacteria left behind by brushing. You’ll promote the longevity of your new smile while also keeping your breath fresh.

Can I still kiss with dentures?

It’s common to be anxious about kissing with your new teeth, but there isn’t any reason to skip giving a smooch. It will take time for you to adjust to your denture, so you’ll want to be careful when kissing your partner. Since dentures don’t have any nerves, it’s easy to accidentally bump their mouth, which might dislodge your denture or chip their tooth. Instead, focus on gently kissing with your new prosthetics. In no time at all, it will feel completely natural, so you don’t need to be concerned about your teeth falling out or injuring your spouse.