If you suffer from tooth loss, consider dentures in Boca Raton. These prosthetic teeth are great at restoring smiles! That said, you should know that you won’t receive them at your first treatment visit. Dentists need time to craft the restorations so that they fit well. As such, you’ll need to wait a while before using them. If you’d like to learn how long this wait will be, your local dentist has the scoop. Here’s a breakdown of the major steps involved in getting dentures.
The Need (or not) For Tooth Extraction
Denture treatment starts by assessing whether you need tooth extraction first. After all, the needed prosthetic might not fit unless certain pre-existing teeth are pulled.
If a patient does require extraction, it’ll take longer to get the final dentures. In fact, the restoration process could be delayed by several months — areas with pulled teeth need time to heal. Only after recovery can the dentist make the dentures.
Dental Impressions & Measurements
With the extraction issue settled, the dentist will proceed with an oral exam. This step lets them make impressions of a patient’s mouth ridges, take bite measurements, and more. Sometimes, it may even include a mockup of the prosthetic teeth.
A dental lab will make the dentures based on the impression, measurements, and mockup. Keep in mind, though, that this manufacturing takes time (usually several weeks).
Adjustment Visits
While the lab makes your dentures, you’ll attend three or four dental visits — spaced weeks apart — that adjust the mockups.
In truth, the mockups give the dentist a sense of how the complete dentures should work. Therefore, the adjustments at the visits are also applied to your future prosthetics. Otherwise, you’d likely get dentures that are too big, too long, too short, or too narrow.
Final Placement
The dentist will place your final, complete dentures after the prior adjustments. However, be aware that these restorations could need adjusting themselves later. If they aren’t, your mouth could develop sores due to the prosthetics fitting poorly.
When this last visit is over, you can experience your new dentures’ features firsthand. In particular, you’ll see your smile restored, have an easier time eating and speaking, etc. Of course, you’re always free to return for follow-ups if a problem arises.
Ultimately, getting dentures in Boca Raton will take weeks or even months. Still, the steps above show that the results are well worth the wait!
About the Author
Dr. Alberto J. Lamberti is a dentist based in Boca Raton, FL, having earned his DMD from the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. He also served as an Assistant Professor at Tufts University’s Prosthodontics Department for almost ten years. Given this background, his specialties are preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency procedures. Dr. Lamberti currently practices at his self-titled clinic and is reachable on his website and by phone at (504)-738-5171.