If you already have dentures, you need to clean them correctly every night, don’t wear them too long, and stay away from sticky and hard foods. Unlike dental implants, which can last the rest of your life, you should expect to replace your dentures every five years no matter how well you take care of them. Since it can be costly to replace dentures, it’s worth it to invest in a high-quality set.

Common Signs That You Might Need New Dentures

If your dentures are discolored, deteriorated or simply uncomfortable, it’s likely time to replace them. Yellow and brown stains are the most obvious signs of discoloration, while deteriorating dentures won’t allow you to properly bite and chew through food. Improperly fitting dentures will cause pain and soreness.

Wearing old or damaged dentures to save money is a bad idea, as this can result in irreparable damage to your facial structure, which could lead to dire consequences.

Differences Between Partial and Full Dentures

Dentists recommend partial dentures when you still have healthy teeth or if you don’t need to remove all of your teeth to achieve the desired result. Conversely, dentists recommend full dentures if you don’t have any healthy teeth and need to replace them all. Talk with your local dentist about which option is right for you.

Average Price of Dentures

A set of full dentures should cost anywhere from $1,300 to $1,500. If your insurance covers dental costs, this price might be lower. Of course, over the long term, the cost of your dentures will depend on how well you take care of them and how often you replace them.  

Through new dental technology, dentists are able to improve the quality of life for patients who suffer from the following five conditions through oral surgery.

Repairing a Facial Injury

If you’ve been in a car accident and suffered a fractured jaw or broken facial bone, your local dentist can repair it via oral surgery. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons use their expertise of dental occlusion to repair and treat all facial injuries of the jaw.

Getting a Biopsy and Removing a Lesion

Discovering a strange growth on your face is quite concerning. Actinic keratosis, also known as solar keratosis, is a type of lesion that appears when the sun’s ultraviolet rays have damaged your skin. If left untreated, the growth can become cancerous. Dentists advise you get a biopsy and remove the lesion right away.

Fixing a Cleft Lip or a Cleft Palate

When portions or all of the mouth and nasal cavity don’t grow in unison during fetal development, it results in a cleft lip or a cleft palate, which is a gap in the lip or an opening in the roof of the mouth.  Through surgery and a series of simple treatments, dentists can fix this deformity and improve your quality of life.

Taking Care of Facial Infections

You should call your dentist immediately if you’re experiencing intense pain and swelling in your face or neck. This is the number-one sign of infection, and if left untreated, it could lead to a life-threatening medical emergency. An oral surgeon can diagnose the problem right away and provide a comprehensive treatment strategy.

According to The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, the number of American adults who need dentures will jump from 33.6 million in 1991 to 37.9 million in 2020.

Although dental implants can last a lifetime, you can fix a broken smile with dentures right away. Here’s what you need to know about partial and full dentures.

Full Dentures

A dentist will recommend full dentures if all the teeth in the upper and lower jaw are missing. You can either opt for immediate or conventional full dentures.

Your dentist will make immediate dentures before he or she removes your teeth, inserting them into your jaw as soon as the removal procedure is complete. Conversely, conventional dentures are made once your gums heal after removing your teeth. This helps dentists design dentures that fit better and for longer.

Partial Dentures

A dentist will recommend partial dentures if you have some healthy teeth or if he or she doesn’t need to remove all of your teeth to achieve a succinct smile.

Partial dentures are made from plastic, replacement teeth and a metal framework that holds the structure of the denture in place. If a few teeth are missing, your dentist might place a permanent bridge between them. In this case, the dental lab will build a crown of artificial teeth that will attach to your existing teeth.

If you have chipped or cracked teeth, or if your teeth are irregularly shaped, tooth reshaping – also known as dental contouring – will turn your frown upside down. This inexpensive cosmetic dental procedure helps millions of people reclaim their smile, with Americans spending nearly $3 billion in cosmetic dentistry each year.

Here’s what you need to know if you’re considering tooth reshaping and contouring.

Tooth Reshaping: What is it?

Tooth reshaping is a dental procedure that involves removing small amounts of tooth enamel – or a tooth’s outer coating – to change its shape. With just a few millimeters, dentists can transform a crooked set of teeth into a straight smile.

Most people who decide on dental contouring combine it with bonding, which is another cosmetic dental treatment that involves the application of composite resin.

Before reshaping your teeth, a dentist will take x-rays and ensure they’re healthy. Afterward, he or she will mark your teeth to highlight the precise spaces that will get sculpted. Your dentist will then use a sanding instrument to remove the marked parts of the surface and minimize all imperfections, polishing them smooth.

The Pros of Tooth Reshaping

The biggest benefit of tooth reshaping is that it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to improve your smile and self-confidence. Generally, it costs $50-$300 per tooth. It’s also a relatively painless procedure, with no need for anesthesia. Many people choose tooth reshaping as a substitute for braces, too, which can be a major pro.  

The Cons of Tooth Reshaping

If you’re looking for drastic results, dental contouring likely isn’t the solution. It’s a simple procedure that produces subtle results. If you’re looking for a completely transformed look, perhaps you might want to consider veneers.

Your jaw, which consists of the maxilla – the upper part – and the mandible – the lower part – houses your teeth and provides you with power behind every bite. When you suffer from jaw-related problems, every chew can feel as painful as getting hit in the face with a baseball. Stay mindful of these common jaw issues.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ)

If you’re experiencing an unexplainable headache or facial pain, there might be a problem with your temporomandibular joint – a hinge that connects the jaw to the temporal bones located at the front of each ear in the skull.  This joint frees your jaw to move up and down, side to side, allowing you to chew, talk and yawn. Dentists use a combination of medications, therapies and splints, which help most people recover. However, in rare cases, a patient might need joint surgery to repair it.

Uneven Jaw Growth 

While most avoid this jaw-related problem, some people’s jaws grow unevenly. As a result, someone might find it difficult to eat, speak, swallow and even breath.  In this instance, a dentist will either prescribe an orthodontic appliance that will help with aligning your jaw or recommend oral surgery. If you feel discomfort in your jaw and in how you bite, schedule a dental check-up and inquire about this possible cause.  

Dentures Don’t Fit Properly

This common jaw-related problem is exclusive to denture wearers, who might experience pain caused by improperly fitting dentures. If you’re a first-time denture wearer, your dentist can make the necessary adjustments. If your jaw has deteriorated or if there are irregularities in the bone, you might need oral surgery.