When a person is missing or has broken several teeth, he or she may experience a variety of problems. The person may become less confident in their smile, have difficulty with eating certain foods, or even with talking normally. Additionally, going without teeth can sometimes be harmful to remaining teeth or tissues in the mouth. And while modern dentistry can do some amazing things, dentures are often still the best, quickest, and cheapest option to replace both the looks and function of those missing teeth. In this article I will talk about 3 options besides the traditional complete denture.

Partial Dentures: Many times, although a person may have several untreatable or missing teeth, there are still a number of them which are healthy. In this case, a partial denture can be made which uses these healthy teeth for support and to hold the partial denture in place. Advantages of this are that you get to save some of your teeth, and that your partial usually will fit better than a complete denture (which replaces all of the teeth). This is especially true on the lower arch. If you are thinking about tooth replacement, be sure to consider this option carefully.

Immediate Dentures: A lot of people have heard that getting new dentures can be a time consuming process, and they don't want to go any amount of time without teeth. As a person who leaves my house everyday to interact with other people, I totally get this. We like to smile. We like to eat. And we will go great lengths to keep up appearances, even if it means neglecting dental work that we know we need to do. Fortunately, dentistry has an answer for these people- Immediate dentures. These dentures are processed in a very short amount of time and can be delivered in as little as 24 hours. Also, if you need to have teeth removed before getting the denture, then everything can be done in one visit making it so you never have to leave your home without a smile.

Implant retained dentures: You may know someone who struggles with a denture- or maybe that person is you. Either way, implant retained dentures have come to the rescue of millions of people around the world. In short, an implant retained denture is still removable (like a conventional denture), but when placed in the mouth it is secured by tiny "snaps" that hold it in place. This is especially helpful for lower dentures or for people who have lost a lot of bone in their gums.

Unfortunately, many people tend to shy away from tooth replacement options, thinking that it would be too expensive or time consuming for them. To these people- you might be surprised to find out that things aren't as bad as you thought. Today, there are several options that will keep you comfortable and smiling throughout the entire process of getting a new set of pearly whites.

Dr. Logan Hazard recently opened Heartwood Family Dental in Post Falls. At Heartwood we offer free exams and X-rays for all new patients, treatment for the entire family, a wonderful team, and acceptance of all insurances in the area. Call Justine today at (208) 777-1542.