Archives for June 2021

My Denture Doesn’t Fit

Posted on June 22, 2021 by Annmarie Worthington.

I have had dentures for a while, but lately it is not fitting. I thought it was because it had stretched out, but now I am not sure. I went in and spoke to my dentist about the problem and he said he could make me a new, better fitting denture. Unfortunately, this new one isn’t staying in either. What could be the problem?

Lindsey

Dear Lindsey,

You didn’t say how long you have been in dentures, but if it has been longer than ten years, I think I know exactly what is going on. It is not that your dentures have stretched, it is that your jawbone has shrunk. When your teeth are removed, your body recognizes you no longer have any teeth roots and then begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone in an effort to be efficient with its resources. This is a great use of your minerals, but it does have the unfortunate side effect of shrinking your jawbone to the point that you no longer have enough of a ridge to retain your dentures. This is known as facial collapse. The good news is there is a solution.

Step One: Bone Grafting

You will need to replace the missing bone. You can do this with a bone grafting procedure. Once that is healed, you have two choices. You can get complete removable dentures again. However, that will leave you back in the same circumstances before long to start the song and dance all over again. Your second and better option is to have dental implants placed and then have dentures made that will secure to them.

Step Two: Dental Implant Overdentures

With implant overdentures, your dentist will place between four to six dental implants in your arch. Once the implants have integrated with the bone, the denture can be permanently secured to it. You will find your quality of life will go up dramatically. Even the best fitting dentures will reduce your chewing capacity by 50%. Plus, you will never have to worry about them slipping around. However, the best advantage is that it will protect you from facial collapse. Because the implants serve as prosthetic tooth roots, your body interprets them as you still having teeth. As a result, it leaves the minerals in place, preserving your jawbone. This is the course of action I would recommend.

This blog is brought to you by San Antonio Dentist Dr. Tostado.
Click here to learn about Teeth in a Day.

Can I Get My Bonding Color Back?

Posted on June 10, 2021 by Annmarie Worthington.

I understand that you cannot change the color of your dental bonding once it is done. I was, however, wondering if it is possible to get it back to its original color? I’ve had my dental bonding for about ten years and they are starting to show their age. Can I get them back to their default color? I’m not in a financial position where I can just replace them at this point.

David

Dear David,

Unfortunately, teeth whitening will only work on natural tooth structure. That is why the color was permanent when your dentist designed your dental bonding. They have aged quite a bit and it is time to replace them. However, I understand that you don’t have the funds for that right now. I have a suggestion that I think may help.

You want to save up and do your dental bonding right with an experienced cosmetic dentist. In the meantime, getting Supersmile toothpaste may help. It uses a chemical enzyme that breaks up surface stains and wipes them away with the protein pellicle. If your stains are just surface stains, this will make a difference. However, if the protective polish originally on your bonding is gone, the stains will be internal and this will not help.

Personally, I think the toothpaste is worth a shot. I don’t get any money for telling you that.

You did not say if you just had bonding to repair a chipped or gapped tooth, or if the use was more extensive. If the repair is more extensive and you are looking for something that will last on a more long term basis, you could save up for porcelain veneers. These, when well taken care of, can last you a lifetime.

This blog is brought to you by San Antonio Dentist Dr. Tostado.

Can I Get Dental Implants After Ten Years in Dentures?

Posted on June 7, 2021 by Annmarie Worthington.

I have been in dentures for ten years. I have hated them the whole time but have not had enough money to do anything about it. Now I’ve inherited some money and I’m wondering if it is too late for me at this point? If not, how do I approach this?

Adam

Dear Adam,

I am glad you wrote. It is never too late to get dental implants. Because you have been wearing dentures for the length of time you have, you will have lost a significant amount of bone in your jaw. This is a natural thing that happens to everyone who wears dentures and I hope your dentist warned you about it when you first were given your options.

When your teeth were extracted, your body goes into a mode of preservation. It wants to use your body’s resources as efficiently as possible. In order to do that, it resorbs the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body where it feels they would be more useful. Unfortunately, that means your jawbone will slowly shrink because it is losing its density. That bone density is necessary to keep dental implants in place.

The good news is there is a bone grafting procedure that will restore the lost bone structure. Once that is done, your next step will bet the dental implants themselves. You’ll want about six dental implants and then a new set of dentures will be anchored to them. This is known as implant overdentures and it will completely change your life.

The first thing you will notice is no more slipping or sliding. The next thing you will notice is how much more of a chewing capacity you have. Even the best fitting dentures reduce your chewing capacity by 50%. You will have teeth you can use again.

This blog is brought to you by San Antonio Dentist Dr. Tostado.
We offer holistic dental care.