Is your smile less vibrant and joyful because of missing teeth? At Whitlow Dental Care, Fresno, CA, dentist, Dr. Kurt Whitlow creates life-like dentures and partials to beautifully replace missing teeth and restore patient's ability to eat, speak, and laugh without embarrassment. Contact us at (559) 441-7700 to schedule a free consultation for dentures or partial dentures, or keep reading the helpful guide below to learn more.
Dentures and partial dentures, also called complete and partial dentures, or full and partial dentures, are custom-crafted removable dental appliances designed to replace missing teeth. Constructed from durable acrylic or flexible thermoplastic resin, dentures and partials incorporate carefully colored and shaped artificial teeth embedded into clear or pink-tinted bases matching your gum tissues.
Partials are dentures that fill in gaps from one or more missing teeth and utilize precision clasps to securely anchor them to your remaining teeth. Full dentures are used to replace an entire row of upper and lower teeth. Both options for dentures integrate personal fit and facial contour considerations for comfortable, non-restrictive wear rivaling natural smiles. With proper care, dentures and partial dentures restore confidence and abilities for 10 or more years.
For patients suffering from tooth loss or damage beyond salvage, dentures offer the following benefits:
You may qualify for full dentures or partials if any of the following apply to you:
The denture process begins with a consultation at Whitlow Dental Care. You'll undergo a comprehensive oral examination and 3D digital oral scanning to evaluate your individual needs. Key considerations for whether you should start wearing dentures include:
Dr. Whitlow will discuss ideal denture design features and set realistic expectations based on your anatomy and oral conditions. He'll also identify potential issues like TMJ dysfunction or sleep apnea for coordinated concurrent treatment for optimal results.
For immediate dentures placed the same day as extractions, Dr. Whitlow begins by extracting severely compromised teeth and contouring and smoothing the underlying lower jaw and bones. For traditional conventional dentures that will be placed after your jaw has adjusted, temporary acrylic dentures are created to wear during initial healing. These temporary dentures protect extraction sites and provide a preview for evaluating the shade, size, and arrangement of permanent denture teeth. After complete healing, precision shaping and impressions are done to capture oral details for accurate dentures.
Utilizing digital oral scans, notes, photos, and other collected data, Dr. Whitlow collaborates with denture laboratory technicians to digitally design and custom fabricate your new dentures or partials.
Taking into account facial symmetry, lip dynamics, ideal tooth size, shade, orientation, and gum contours, your dentures are artistically crafted for seamless integration into natural facial aesthetics while ensuring durability and performance.
During this appointment, Dr. Whitlow evaluates the denture adjustments required for comfortable positioning without slipping, gagging, or awkward biting. He guides you through initial placement, removal, speech, and eating to ensure complete satisfaction and functionality before deeming your permanent dentures complete. While most patients adapt quickly, the Whitlow team offers additional try-in fittings until dentures perform reliably without compromising confidence or quality of life.
Proper care for dentures and partials is important for keeping them functioning like natural teeth for over a decade. Key guidelines for caring for partial and full dentures include:
With excellent anatomical fit, muscle control, and proper initial healing, dentures should reliably adhere without mess or hassle of glues. However, shrinking gum tissues over five or more years occasionally loosen the fit, requiring non-invasive reline procedures to retain a snug seal. If slipping and rocking emerge despite the personalized design, temporary light adhesives can keep dentures in place until scheduled relining appointments.
It’s highly recommended that you remove your dentures at night. Saliva flow decreases during sleep allowing plaque-rich films to coat dentures and gums, heightening gum infection and irritation risks. Nightly removal also gives sore spots a needed reprieve to heal while allowing oxygen circulation to gums for healthier denture wearing every day. Place removed dentures in purified water overnight to avoid warping.
Utilizing durable yet gentle precision metals or clear plastic resins, partial denture frameworks incorporate clasps that contour around existing teeth without damaging enamel or roots. Clasps act as anchors to prevent shifting while chewing or speaking.
Your dentist will position and adjust clasps to avoid painful pinching and provide reliable yet comfortable gripping power. If loosening or discomfort ever occurs, quick and painless re-contouring and replacement of worn clasps restores a precision fit.
With quality design, materials, at-home care, and routine dental maintenance, patients can expect around 10 years of superb denture performance before considering replacement. Eventually, ongoing bone and tissue changes tend to loosen the fit of even the highest quality dentures, making new false teeth necessary.
If missing, failing, or unsightly teeth plague your smile and confidence, call on Whitlow Dental Care for remarkably life-like and durable dentures and partials to affordably restore oral health and joyful self-assurance.
Serving Fresno and surrounding areas like Kingsburg, Madera, and Muscatel, CA, Dr. Whitlow prioritizes comfort-focused care and advanced cosmetic artistry so you can eat heartily, speak clearly, and smile brightly again soon. Call (559) 441-7700 now to schedule your denture consultation and begin your journey towards renewed oral function and confidence!
MON 7:30 AM - 3:45 PM
TUE8:15 AM - 4:30 PM
WED 8:15 AM - 4:30 PM
THU7:30 AM - 3:45 PM
FRI - SUN Closed
