dentures Archives - 5 Star Dental Group

What If I Can’t Afford Dental Implants?

Posted on August 17, 2024 by AllSmiles.

What are my options if I can’t afford dental implants? I’m 42 and am embarrassed to wear dentures. I know it makes sense to have dentures rather than a toothless smile. I wonder if there are alternatives that I may not know about. Thanks. Tish

Tish,

Tooth replacement options include partial dentures, removable complete dentures, a dental bridge, and dental implants. Your options depend on your oral health and the number of teeth you have lost.

A palateless denture

Dental implants are a significant investment, but there are options to make them more accessible. While it’s unlikely to find dentists willing to provide implants in exchange for advertising, there are several strategies to consider:

Dental School Clinics: Many dental schools offer discounted treatment to patients who participate in their implant training programs. Treatment from a dental school can be cost-effective, though it may involve longer treatment times and potential discomfort associated with student practitioners.
Affordable Dental Implant Options: Snap-on dentures supported by two standard dental implants or mini implants can be less expensive and less invasive than traditional implant procedures.
Phased Approach: Consider getting a removable denture now and saving for implant-supported dentures in the future. This phased approach can help you spread out the costs over time.
Charity Dental Clinics: While dental clinics often focus on providing primary care, they may offer some assistance with dentures or partial dentures.

Explore these options and consult a dentist to determine the most suitable approach for your needs and budget. While there may not be a straightforward solution, these strategies can help make implant dentures more affordable in the future.

San Antonio dentists Dr. Gilberto Tostado and Dr. Karina Acuña sponsor this post.

Teeth Fall Out and She Uses Krazy Glue to Put Them Back

Posted on June 23, 2023 by AllSmiles.

I started using krazy glue in February when my teeth started falling out. I regret it because of the fumes that make me sick, but I don’t know else what to do. I cannot afford a denture. I know the glue is messing up my gums. I feel stuck. Please help.

Our website administrator obtained this post from another client’s website.

Why Would Teeth Repeatedly Fall Out?

When a person has advanced gum disease or periodontitis, their teeth can repeatedly fall out without treatment. Gum disease destroys gums, teeth, and the bone supporting teeth.

Can You Glue Teeth Back in Place?

Krazy Glue or any other high-strength glue would hold only temporarily before the teeth move again. Commercial glues are not meant for internal use or withstanding the wet environment in a saliva-filled mouth. Also, the glue would further damage oral tissue.

Close-up picture of teeth with most of the roots exposed. Teeth will fall out without treatment.

Photograph courtesy of Dr. David Mastro, Roswell, GA

The woman who wrote about using Krazy Glue to put her teeth back felt hopeless. We included a photo on this page of a patient with advanced gum disease that is bad but not like the advanced stage that causes teeth to fall out.

In the photo, the patient’s lower four incisor teeth are almost loose enough to fall out. It has probably been years since the woman whose teeth are pictured saw a dentist. Imagine tooth roots showing, teeth hanging by their ligaments, and the desperation of a person who cannot afford dentures.

If someone cannot afford dentures, they can seek assistance from a local dental school, a free dental clinic, or social services. If teeth are unsavable, removable dentures would make a person look and feel better, improving their quality of life. It is worth contacting your local social services department for resources to find a dental clinic.

San Antonio dentists Dr. Gilberto Tostado and Dr. Karina Acuña sponsor this post. Call our office for information about financing or payment plans to make getting dentures more affordable for you.

How Can I Safely Whiten My Dentures?

Posted on March 26, 2023 by AllSmiles.

How can I safely whiten my dentures without ruining them? I clean and soak them daily, but they look dull. Thanks. Walter

Walter,

Thank you for contacting 5 Star Dental Group in San Antonio. Dr. Tostado or Dr. Acuña would need to examine your dentures to determine the cause of stains or discoloration and recommend how to proceed. We will explain when and how you can whiten dentures.

How Can You Whiten Your Dentures?

You can whiten your denture with regular soaking and using denture cleaning products if they are not worn, old, or made with low-quality materials. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends the following to keep your dentures white:

Follow the instructions for denture cleaning products
Develop a routine for cleaning your dentures
Select products with the ADA seal of approval to ensure they are effective

The Journal of Microbiology published an October 2018 article on the frequency of denture cleaning that confirms the following about regularly cleaning your dentures:

Reduces plaque buildup on denture teeth
Reduces plaque buildup on denture surfaces that fit your oral tissue
Requires a routine that includes soaking and brushing your dentures

Nonabrasive denture cleaning products

You can find nonabrasive denture cleansers in these forms:

Tablets
Pastes
Creams
Gels

Soaking dentures

Regularly soaking your dentures has the following benefits:

Reduces bacteria buildup on denture teeth, which can lead to stains or discoloration
Helps you maintain good oral health
Keeps your breath fresh

What If Your Dentures Still Look Dull?

If your dentures look dull despite thorough daily cleaning, speak with your dentist. Depending on the condition and age of your dentures, your dentist can polish yellow or stained dentures and help them look brighter. However, if your dentures are worn or old, you may need to replace them.

Schedule an appointment with a cosmetic dentist to examine your denture and determine if polishing them will improve the stains. Otherwise, the dentist may recommend replacing your dentures or denture teeth.

San Antonio dentists Dr. Gilberto Tostado and Dr. Karina Acuña sponsor this post. Read how they strive to provide patients with some of the best dental care in San Antonio.

You may also read about the importance of denture fit in our post, My Dentures Are Leaving Sores on My Gums.

My Dentures Are Leaving Sores on My Gums

Posted on January 26, 2023 by AllSmiles.

My dentures are rubbing my gums and leaving sores. What is the best way to get dentures to fit correctly? My dentist tried to adjust the denture twice, but he really made things worse. I used sandpaper to trim the denture down, and that did help a bit but not perfectly. What can my dentist do to give me a better fit? Thanks, Chris P

Chris,

Thank you for contacting Dr. Tostado’s office. He or Dr. Acuña would need to examine your denture to determine why it’s rubbing on your gums, but we will explain the causes.

Why Do Dentures Rub on Your Gums?

A denture may rub on your gum for one of these reasons:

Your jawbone is shrinking – When all your teeth are missing, your jawbone shrinks progressively. A denture that is not snug will rub on your gums.
Food debris beneath the denture – Food particles can get trapped beneath a loose denture and irritate your gums.
Damaged denture – Cracks or chips in a denture can irritate your gums and make them sore.
Bacteria beneath the denture – Removing the denture and cleaning it daily prevent bacteria buildup that can cause inflammation and sores. For details, read our post about the results of wearing your denture overnight.
Poor-fitting denture – If a denture fits too loosely or tightly, it can rub your gums.

What Is the Solution for Dentures That Rub Your Gums?

Get a second opinion if your dentures continue to rub on and irritate your gums

The solution for dentures that rub on your gums depends on the cause. After an examination, a dentist may do more or one of the following:

Reline the denture
Adjust the denture
Give you suggestions for denture care
Take impressions of your mouth for a new denture

If your dentist cannot adjust your dentures, schedule a consultation with a prosthodontist or cosmetic dentist to discuss your options.

San Antonio dentists Dr. Gilberto Tostado and Dr. Karina Acuña sponsor this post. Dr. Tostado is a prosthodontist specializing in custom dentures.

My Dentures Will Not Stay In

Posted on August 4, 2021 by Annmarie Worthington.

I have been in dentures for close to sixteen years. Lately, they just won’t stay in. Have they just been overstretched over the years? Is there a way to get them back to their original shape or do I have to replace them?

Greg

Dear Greg,

Implant overdentures

Your dentures have not stretched. Instead, your jawbone has shrunk. The amount of time that you have been wearing your dentures is about the amount of time necessary for facial collapse to set in. When your teeth were removed, your body immediately began resorbing the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere. It does this because it realizes you don’t have teeth any more and it is trying to be as efficient with your body’s resources as possible.

The only way to fix this is a two-step procedure. First, you will need to have some bone grafting done. This is a procedure that builds back up the bone structure in your jawbone. Once that is done, You will have a choice. Option one is to just get new dentures made. While your cheapest option, bear in mind that you will start the same cycle of bone resorption again and will be back in the same position you are today in around the same amount of time.

A better option, if you can afford it, is to have six to eight dental implants placed and then anchor a new denture to them. This is known as implant supported dentures. Not only will this protect you from facial collapse, but you will find your quality of life goes up dramatically as well.

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,

implant overdentures

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.

My Teeth Fell Out All of a Sudden?

Posted on August 21, 2020 by AllSmiles.

Hi,

I will admit I have not always taken the best care of my teeth, and now that I’m in my 80s, I wish that I had. My dentist told me I have a bad case of gum disease, and warned me that my teeth could fall out. And that’s exactly what happened! Despite my mouth’s condition, I’d like to keep as many of my teeth as possible. My kids think I should get dentures, is that my only option? Do I need a full or partial denture? Are dental implants even an option at my age?

Ripley, from Dinosaur, Colorado

Hi Ripley,

Since your teeth are at the point where they are falling out of your gums, it sounds like your gum disease has progressed to advanced periodontal disease. In regards to answering your question, dental implants are preferable to dentures, as dental implants are anchored in your jaw and prevent decay.

However, dental implants are not the best choice for everyone, and certain risk factors increase the likelihood of implant failure. For example, a jaw that have too much decay will require a bone graft, as without one, the jaw will not be able to hold the implants. You will need a dental surgeon to properly assess you, as it would not be in your best interest to get a bone graft for dental implants only to have both the implant and graft fail.

Based on your description, a full-mouth restoration may be necessary. However, that would be the most costly option. You can also opt to remove any remaining teeth that are most likely to need it, or you can wait until they fall out on their own. Once all your teeth are out, you can proceed with a bone graft for a dental implant, or get removable full dentures. However, a removable partial dentures would be a cost-effective option and would save your remaining teeth.

Without teeth or dental implants in your jaw, your brain gets the message that you are not using your jaw anymore, and your body will begin the process of resorption. Your body slowly begins to break down the minerals in your jaw, which can lead to facial collapse over the course of ten years or so. However, given your age, dentures would improve your jaw health and preserve your teeth. With the money you save by getting dentures over dental implants, you can consult with a cosmetic dentist to make you a set of natural-looking dentures.

This blog post is brought to you by San Antonio dental implant provider, Dr. Gilberto Tostado, of 5 Star Dental Group.

Will My All-On-4 Dental Implants Fail Eventually?

Posted on May 8, 2020 by AllSmiles.

Hello there,

About 10 years ago, my dentist recommended getting All-On-4 dental implants done. I was in my 50’s, but interested in a long-lasting smile. It was a rather intense and expensive process, but I was happy with the results in the end. However, I started noticing a bad taste in my mouth, despite no changes to my established brushing, flossing, and mouthwash routines.

When I mentioned this to my dentist, he said there may be an infection in my mouth and ordered X-rays. He was right – one of my implants was infected and I needed antibiotics. However, if the infection comes back, I may need to get surgery all over again.

I thought these implants would last me the rest of my life, so I’m blindsided by having problems only 10 years in. I do not want to pay for the entire procedure again, especially if there’s a risk an implant could fail again. Is it common for All-On-4 implants to fail after 10 years or so? Should I just opt for a set of dentures at my age? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Daniel, from Trenton, New Jersey

Hi Daniel,

All-On-4 dental implants are a type of implant overdenture. Your situation is rare, but unfortunately All-on-4 does not work for everyone. If you have any risk factors, such as previous periodontal disease, chronic health conditions, or are a smoker, the risk of possible failure is higher.

Determining the cause of your implant failure may prove difficult. It likely was not caused by a placement issue during the initial surgery. If it were, the problems would have cropped up in the first few months after surgery. Any of the aforementioned risk factors could have contributed to the implant’s failure. However, if you did not have any risk factors, then the cause of the infection or implant failure will likely remain a mystery.

All-On-4 dental implants, also known as Teeth in a Day, frequently have a very high success rate among patients. Studies have shown that even 10 years after surgery, the implants still hold strong at a 94% success rate, meaning only a handful failed over the course of the decade.

If you cannot determine what caused the implant to fail, it’s understandable that you would be hesitant to get it redone. Also, there is not any data available on how long All-On-4 implants last after being redone. However, you still have options besides dentures; you still have 3 successful implants, so if you were to get the fourth remade, it would likely hold well. The decision is up to you. To help you decide, see a periodontist, cosmetic dentist, or oral surgery specialist for a second opinion.

This blog post is brought to you by San Antonio implant overdentures and All-On-4 provider, Dr. Gilberto Tostado, of 5 Star Dental Group.