So now you have new dentures what can you expect? Rehabilitation is vital.

Globally dentures are the most common false body part (prosthetic) worn by people from all walks of life.

Dentures are so common that it is easy to forget that they are a prosthetic. And, as with any prosthesis, a period of rehabilitation is typically needed before you are wearing them with confidence.

You would not immediately run a marathon after being fitted with a prosthetic leg – dentures are the same!

Dentures are a very personal thing and no two people will have exactly the same experience.

Some people wear dentures with no difficulty from the beginning. For others it can take up to 6 months for their dentures to become fully comfortable.

Realistic expectations are essential.

We understand how important this rehabilitation period is. This is why we have a no limit no cost policy for all follow up appointments.

Make an appointment today to find out how affordable and successful replacing natural teeth with a removable dental prosthetic can be.

Why you should replace a missing tooth

Losing a tooth isn’t fun, but sometimes having a tooth (or two) extracted is the best thing to do.

When you have missing teeth it can feel uncomfortable or embarrassing to have a gap in your smile. Did you know that missing a tooth can also be harmful to your overall health?

Here are 4 reasons why you should consider replacing a missing tooth:

  1. Teeth may shift and loosen – Like books in a bookcase, when every tooth is in your mouth, neatly in a row, they can keep each other lined up and stable. Take one out and the teeth can drift out of place, become crooked, or result in new gaps appearing between your remaining teeth. Another issue that may occur is super-eruption of the tooth that opposes the site of the missing tooth. As that tooth moves up out of the gum you may experience sensitivity and be more vulnerable to decay. This drift and movement can also change your bite which leads onto a whole other set of issues.
  2. Your face could change – The ADA says that even the loss of a back tooth can cause your bone to deteriorate and muscles to droop over time potentially making your face look older. No one wants that!
  3. It may affect your mental health – While missing a tooth may be fun when you are a kid, not so much as an adult. The way you feel about your smile is incredibly significant. Grinning is an important way to emote and communicate with other people. A missing tooth can easily cause you to hold back and lose self-confidence. Missing teeth can also affect your speech and make eating difficult. Poor chewing can lead to other digestive problems and affect you nutritionally.
  4. TMJ disorder – Your lower jaw can move freely to chew and bite food because of the temporomandibular joints, or TMJ on each side of your head. Teeth function as a unit. Properly aligned teeth come together harmoniously when you bite and chew. When you eat and have a missing tooth or teeth, more stress may be placed on the remaining teeth and your TMJs due to changes in your bite causing jaw pain, headaches and possibly further tooth loss. Not pleasant ☹

This is why it is important to replace a missing tooth. Partial dentures are a phenomenally successful, cost effective way to do this and are globally the most common prosthetic.

We love giving advice (and we don’t charge for it 😊) so contact us now to book in for an initial consultation and be informed.

Considering an immediate denture? Be informed!

Are you facing the prospect of having teeth extracted but want to avoid being toothless while extraction sites heal?

Your dentist may have suggested that you have an immediate denture made to solve this dilemma.

An immediate denture is where the denture is made before the teeth are extracted.

At your dental appointment, the denture is then fitted ‘immediately’ after the teeth are removed and – voila! Nice new teeth – sounds like the perfect solution.

However, while this can be a particularly good option for many people, there are pros and cons that need to be weighed up first.

Like a house, successful dentures depend on good foundations and predicting exactly how your gum will be after extractions can be difficult.

Bone shards, sharp undercuts, painful tissue flaps are just some of the unexpected consequences of tooth extractions which makes wearing a denture practically impossible.

Immediate dentures also require a lot more follow up and refitting as the gum shrinks and changes post extractions.

The most important things to remember if you are looking at having an immediate denture are:

  1. you need to be realistic in your expectations
  2. have patience with your progress.
  3. be prepared for up to 3, even 6, months of adjustment and frequent visits to your dental prosthetist (hopefully us!)

You will get there, and the end result will be worth it we promise.

 

Our initial consultations are free, and all your rehabilitation follow up appointments are included in our initial quotes so come in for a chat to make sure you are fully informed and involved in your treatment plan.

jumping couple

A word on cheap dentures…

If you are shopping around for cheap dentures, a word of caution… you often get what you pay for.

Cheap dentures suggest a corner is being cut somewhere, be that the length of time assessing your case and designing your denture, inferior materials, poor after service, or using a cheap overseas dental laboratory.

Some dental prosthetists are more expensive than others, but selecting on price alone is not a good idea. Expensive dentures are not always better than moderately priced ones. It all comes down to the quality of work and the level of customer care provided. That is why it is important to have your treatment with a dental prosthetist that has a good reputation, that you can trust, and will do a quality job that will last many years.

Dentures Direct Ballina has an excellent reputation in the Northern Rivers region and prides itself on its award winning customer service. Our commitment to follow up is an integral part of our treatment, as wearing a denture successfully can take time and patience.  We are not happy till you are!

We use only the best materials available, and our competitive pricing includes all adjustment appointments with no restrictions, biannual cleans and a priority pro-rata repair service. So come and see us first for a no obligation initial consultation and benefit from our decades of experience.

ADPA_Conference_2017

Up-to-date knowledge is important to us

Australian Dental Prosthetists Association Conference

Up-to-date knowledge is important to us, that’s why we recently attended the Australian Dental Prosthetists Association’s 24th National Conference in Canberra.

Attending conferences like these lets us stay aware of the latest developments and polices in our specialist field. This is part of our commitment to maintaining our high professional standards.

Speakers came from around the world and Australia to present on vital areas of knowledge in denture assessment and construction. This included achieving denture suction, choosing teeth, identifying oral cancer, oral health in the aged, and infection control.

Our up-to-date expertise means our patients benefit from all the newest approaches and techniques. We want to ensure they get the best result possible.

At Dentures Direct Ballina we proud of our consistent involvement in all ADPA professional development opportunities. Our satisfied customers show how invaluable it is!

Contact us now to update your smile.

Beach Football

Dentures – Prosthetist or Dentist?

While it is true that dentists do a small amount of training in making dentures as part of getting their qualifications, in the clinical setting they do NOT make dentures they only FIT dentures made by a commercial laboratory either in Australia or overseas.
This means that the person making your dentures is not the person who is fitting your dentures. This may result in dentures that are not made specifically to your individual needs.
Dentures are also a very small part of what a dentist would do as part of their clinical caseload. Therefore, they are not as experienced in designing and fitting dentures or helping patients through the rehabilitation period.
A dental prosthetist on the other hand is a specialist denture health professional. It is literally all they do. There is nothing about the consultation, design, construction, fitting and rehabilitation of removable dental prosthetics that a dental prosthetist is not experienced in.
The fact that the person who sees you is the same person who is involved in every step of the denture process ensures that the result is one that is right for you.
As part of their clinical expertise, dental prosthetists work very closely with your dentist so that any work being done on remaining natural teeth complements the denture design.
As a bonus, coming directly to a dental prosthetist for your dentures can be much more cost effective than having them made by a dentist.
So be bold and inform your dentist that, while you are happy for him to look after your natural teeth, you want to have your dentures made directly by a dental prosthetist.
Come to the experts at Dentures Direct Ballina and get the result you deserve. Contact us today!

Four very good reasons to get your dentures relined

How your partial or complete dentures fit varies depending on the changes in your mouth and gum over time. Gum shrinkage and bone reabsorption alters how the denture sits and functions. A reline puts a new fit surface onto your denture and is recommended to be done every few years. Ongoing regular maintenance is not only essential to keep your denture performing well and looking great but ensures the long term health of your mouth. Here’s four reasons you should consider coming in to see us for a denture check-up:
1.Loose dentures move in the mouth with a rocking or rubbing motion. Any movement of the denture can cause discomfort and potentially lead to nasty gum ulcerations. Hard to be at your best with a painful mouth.
2.When your denture no longer sits on your gums as it was originally designed the force of your bite is greatly reduced. Not only can this limit the type of foods you can enjoy but a diminished chewing action can have serious digestive implications. Relining your denture ensures you can help yourself to your favourite foods with appetite!
3.Poorly fitting dentures can give you a prematurely aged appearance and become loose during eating and talking. This can reduce your confidence in social situations which takes a lot of fun out of doing the things you love.
4.Dentures that no longer fit as they were meant to are subjected to undue wear and tear. This means that the life of your denture is greatly reduced. Relines are a cost effective way to get the best value out of your denture leaving more money in your pocket for life’s other big adventures