Full & Partial Dentures – Studio City, CA
Restore Your Smile to Its Natural Beauty
The American College of Prosthodontists estimates that about 40 million adults in the nation are missing all of their teeth. If you suffer from this common oral issue, know that you’re not alone. At Studio City Dental Arts, we strive to restore our patient’s confidence in their smile providing high-quality and beautiful restorations, such as customized full and partial dentures. These help boost the aesthetic appearance of your smile while also enhancing the function. To learn more about our tooth replacement solutions, don’t hesitate to contact our office today.
Who’s a Good Candidate for Dentures?
Most individuals who are without multiple missing teeth or a complete row are good candidates for dentures. These prosthetics have been around for centuries, helping patients improve the look, feel, and function of their smile, but advancements in dentistry now make them more comfortable to wear than ever before.
While they are likely to be a suitable option for tooth replacement if you are without natural teeth, it’s still necessary for our Studio City Dental Arts team to conduct an oral examination of your smile. This will allow us to determine whether you are a good dentures candidate.
Effects of Missing Teeth
Several problems can occur when you are without most or all of your natural teeth. They include:
- Difficulty eating nutritious foods. Tooth loss can make it hard to consume certain foods, which is why many patients turn to softer, unhealthier options that are easier to eat. This can lead to malnutrition and a decline in oral and overall health.
- Difficulty speaking. Talking to others with an incomplete smile can cause you to slur your words, making it harder for others to understand what you’re saying. This can be a problem if you have a professional job that requires you to converse with colleagues or clients.
- Lacking confidence. When your smile is incomplete, you may feel apprehensive about meeting with friends and family. You might also struggle to pursue new opportunities at work or in your personal life out of fear of judgment.
What Qualifies You for Dentures?
If you wonder whether you are a candidate for dentures, you can expect Dr. Shahrestany to consider the following during your examination:
- Do you have good general oral health? Do you require additional treatment to prevent harm to your artificial teeth (i.e., gum disease therapy, tooth extraction, etc.)?
- Do you have a supportive jawbone that is dense enough for dentures? Although they only rest atop the gums, your jawbone must still be sturdy enough to adequately support your new teeth.
- Will you commit to taking proper care of your new smile once your full or partial dentures are in place?
Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options
During the examination, your dentist may decide that an alternative form of tooth replacement might be better for you and your smile. These options can include:
- Dental Bridge: If you are without multiple consecutive missing teeth, we may suggest a dental bridge. This customized device closes the gap between two healthy abutment teeth. Crafted from two dental crowns and artificial teeth (pontics), it delivers function, aesthetics, and comfort, and it can last up to a decade.
- Dental Implants: Dental implants provide a more permanent way to replace missing teeth, no matter how many you have. Even an entire row can experience new life, as our team positions 4-6 implant posts along the jawbone. Requiring a surgical procedure, the placement of these posts ensures greater support once the customized implant partial or implant denture is in place.
Full Dentures
For patients who are missing an entire arch of teeth, we’ll likely suggest full dentures. These utilize natural suction and denture adhesive to stay securely in place while you eat and speak. They’re made from a specially crafted gum-colored acrylic base that houses natural-looking replacement teeth. They’re completely removable, so you can give your gums a rest at night by taking them out and storing them in a room temperature glass of water. For a more stable and secure option, we also offer implant-retained dentures.
Partial Dentures
Our patients who are missing several teeth along an arch often choose removable partial dentures to restore the look and function of their smile. These are made from a strategically-crafted metal or gum-colored acrylic base that’s designed to fit around your existing teeth to stay secured in place. That way, you won’t have to alter your healthy pearly whites. By replacing these gaps in your smile with partial dentures, you’ll be able to preserve the alignment of your natural teeth and reduce your risk of developing oral health problems down the road.
The Benefit of Replacing Missing Teeth
Dentures are a great option for many patients who are missing teeth. Some advantages that you’ll be able to enjoy when you choose this tooth replacement solution include:
- Boosted self-esteem.
- Help preserve facial appearance.
- Removable convenience makes them easy to clean.
- Makes eating and speaking easier.
- Designed to be comfortable and functional.
- Customized natural appearance.
- Many dental insurance plans cover the cost of dentures.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about full or partial dentures in Studio City, don’t hesitate to call our office to speak to one of our friendly staff members.
Understanding the Cost of Dentures
With many dental procedures, the cost of treatment will vary from patient to patient, and dentures are no exception. Even if two patients are missing the same number of teeth, each denture is customized to fit the individual, which means the pricing will not always be the same. After Dr. Shahrestany has examined your current smile, she can then create a treatment plan specifically for you. At that point, our team can discuss the financial details and go over what you’ll owe and arrangements for payment.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Dentures
When calculating the price of your dentures, we take several factors into consideration. The number and location of your missing teeth play a role in the total, and it makes sense that a partial denture may cost less than a full denture. Also, if you are receiving preliminary treatment, such as gum disease therapy or implant placement, the overall cost will go up. Dr. Shahrestany may choose certain materials for your dentures to make them more stable or more realistic, depending on your needs and goals.
Are Implant Dentures More Expensive?
In general, implant dentures tend to cost more than traditional dentures because there is the added process of surgically placing the implant posts. However, many patients who pick implant dentures see in the long run that this option can actually save them money because you do not have to pay to replace implant dentures every few years like you would with normal dentures. Plus, some of the benefits of implant dentures are truly priceless! In other words, they are worth the investment.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dentures?
Although there may be some exceptions, most dental insurance plans do cover part of the cost of dentures. We are proud to be in-network with many PPO insurance plans. If you have questions about your plan, our team would be happy to help. It is important to note that the implant portion of treatment, for implant dentures, is usually not included in insurance policies, so you’ll be expected to pay that expense out-of-pocket.
Other Options for Making Dentures Affordable
Although dental insurance can help bring down the price you’ll owe out-of-pocket, it likely won’t cover everything. Either with or without dental insurance, you may not be in a position to pay for denture treatment all upfront. Flexible financing through CareCredit is available, and we can help you through the application process to break up the total into smaller monthly payments.
Denture FAQs
Do Implants Really Make a Difference with Dentures?
Absolutely! Instead of using suction or clasps to stay on top of the gums, implant dentures are securely anchored to the jawbone itself, just like natural teeth. As a result, these prosthetic teeth look and feel completely comfortable. Also, implant dentures tend to give more biting power because they are embedded in the jawbone. This means that you’re better able to eat a more nutritious diet and enjoy a higher quality of life overall! For this reason and many others, we often recommend considering attaching dentures to implants.
How Long Will It Take to Get Dentures?
Your treatment timeline will depend on several factors, including the number of teeth you’re replacing, whether you require preliminary procedures like tooth extraction or gum disease therapy, and whether you’re attaching your dentures to implants. After we take impressions of your mouth, the actual fabrication process can take several weeks and may also involve a couple of follow-up adjustments with us or even with the lab to make sure your dentures fit comfortably for as long as possible. When you meet with Dr. Shahrestany, you can get a clearer idea of how long this treatment will take for you.
Are Dentures Painful?
In general, dentures are designed to be as comfortable as possible. Implant dentures are structured just like real teeth, which means that they feel completely natural. On the other hand, it may take some time to adjust to traditional dentures, which rest on top of the gums and use suction to stay in place. At first, your dentures may feel uncomfortable or cause some tissue irritation. However, you should adapt fairly quickly while you get used to speaking and eating with new, custom dentures in your mouth. Keep in mind that if you need to have teeth removed prior to getting your dentures, you may also experience some soreness.
How Much Do Dentures Cost?
Just as the timeline for treatment can vary from patient to patient, depending on their situation, so can the cost. In other words, we won’t know how much your dentures will cost without first examining your mouth. The good news is that we are in-network with most PPO dental insurance plans, and most of them cover at least part of the cost of dentures. If you would like to finance your out-of-pocket fee for your dentures, we can help you apply for low- or no-interest financing through CareCredit.