Marietta, GA Dentures
Marietta dentist, Dr. Robert Foster, offers dentures services to our patients. Complete dentures can be either “conventional” or “immediate.” Conventional dentures are made after the teeth have been removed and the gum tissue has begun to heal. A conventional denture is ready for placement in the mouth about 8 to 12 weeks after the teeth have been removed.
Unlike conventional dentures, immediate dentures are made in advance and can be positioned as soon as the teeth are removed. As a result, the wearer does not have to be without teeth during the healing period. However, bones and gums shrink over time, especially during the healing period following tooth removal. If all of your teeth need removal, we may suggest that the back teeth be removed and healing for a period of time before we deliver the final denture to you. Once the tissues have shrunk, the denture may require a “reline” or “rebase” of the gum portion of the denture. Depending upon the severity of the tissue shrinkage you may be without your denture a day or so for a laboratory to add material to your denture.
The denture development process takes about three weeks to 1.5 months and several appointments. Once the dentist determines what type of appliance is best for you, the general steps are to:
1. Make a series of impressions of your jaw and take measurements of how your jaws relate to one another and how much space is between them.
2. Create models, wax forms, and/or plastic patterns in the exact shape and position of the denture to be made. You will “try in” this model several times and the denture will be assessed for color, shape, and fit before the final denture is cast.
3. Cast a final denture
4. Adjustments will be made as necessary
Call us or stop by our Marietta dentist office for an evaluation of your dental needs.