Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Tulsa
Tulsa, OK
Dentures in Tulsa
A denture should let you eat what you want and forget you are wearing it. Fit is what decides whether it does.
Dentures replace missing teeth when there are too few left to restore individually. Made and fitted properly they restore chewing, speech, and the shape of the lower face, which changes noticeably once back teeth are gone.
The reputation dentures have for slipping and clicking comes almost entirely from poor fit and from ridges that were never prepared properly. Both are avoidable.
Full dentures
A full denture replaces an entire upper or lower arch. The upper generally performs better than most people expect, because it covers the palate and holds by suction across a broad area. The lower is harder, because it sits on a narrow ridge and has to share space with your tongue.
They are made from impressions of your ridges and fitted through several appointments, with shade and tooth position chosen with you before anything is finished. Teeth are set to suit your face and your age rather than to a single standard.
Partial dentures
A partial fills the gaps when you still have healthy teeth. It clasps onto them for support, which makes it considerably more stable than a full denture.
Partials also stop the drifting that follows tooth loss. Teeth either side of a gap tilt into it and the opposing tooth drops down, and once the bite has collapsed that way it is much harder to restore. Keeping your remaining teeth healthy matters here, because the partial depends on them.
Not sure where to startCall and describe what is going on.
Call (918) 205-7458Immediate dentures
An immediate denture is made in advance and fitted the same day teeth are removed, so you are never without teeth.
The trade off is that gums and bone shrink as they heal over the following months, so an immediate denture needs relining once healing has settled, and sometimes replacing. That is expected rather than a fault, and you should be told about it before you start rather than after.
Implant supported dentures
This is the answer for a lower denture that will not stay put. A small number of implants placed in the jaw give the denture something to lock onto. It clips in, stays where you put it, and comes out for cleaning.
For most people the difference is night and day, particularly for eating. Implants also slow the bone loss that continues under a conventional denture, which is why a denture that fitted well three years ago often does not now.
Because Dr. Hanna completed a residency in sedation and oral surgery, the extractions, the implant placement, and the denture itself are all handled in this office.
Preparing the mouth first
What happens before the denture is made matters as much as the denture. After extractions, sharp edges or uneven ridges of bone often remain. Dr. Hanna smooths these during surgery where she can, and occasionally a second short procedure is needed weeks later once healing reveals them.
Bony lumps called tori on the palate or inside the lower jaw are harmless if you have your own teeth, but a denture cannot seat over them. They are reduced before impressions are taken. Skipping this step is how people end up with a denture that was never going to be comfortable.
Living with them
The first couple of weeks are an adjustment. Speech takes a few days to normalise and reading aloud speeds that up. Start with soft food cut small, chew on both sides at once rather than the front, and add harder foods gradually.
Sore spots in the first weeks are normal and are fixed with a quick adjustment. Do not attempt to adjust a denture yourself, and do not use over the counter reliners to fix a fit problem, because both usually make the underlying issue worse.
Clean them daily over a basin of water so a drop does not break them, and leave them out overnight so the tissue underneath gets a rest. Keep seeing us even with no natural teeth, because the ridges change shape, the fit drifts, and oral cancer screening still applies.
Talk it through first
If you are weighing dentures against implants or a bridge, bring the question to a consultation. You will get a straight answer about what each option costs, how long each takes, and what each will actually be like to live with.
Common questions
The questions patients ask us most about this treatment, answered plainly.
How long does it take to get used to dentures
Most people feel reasonably normal within two to four weeks. Speech settles within a few days, and eating takes longer. Sore spots in the first fortnight are common and are resolved with a short adjustment appointment.
Will dentures change how I look
Yes, usually for the better, because missing back teeth let the lower face collapse and dentures restore that support. Tooth shape, size, and shade are chosen with you beforehand, and the aim is a result that suits your face rather than an obviously artificial one.
Why does my lower denture move around
Lower dentures rest on a narrow ridge and share space with the tongue, so they are inherently less stable than uppers. Bone loss over time makes it worse. Implants are the reliable fix, giving the denture something to lock onto.
Book your appointment today
Call the office and we will find you a time that works.