Dentures in New Bern

Depending on how many teeth you are missing, different kinds of dentures in New Bern may be a better option for you.

Full dentures are what most people think of when they consider dentures. These dentures replace complete arches of teeth across your upper or lower jaw. If you are missing all or most of your teeth, full dentures may be the best option for you. Even if you do have isolated teeth remaining, it may be best for tooth extractions so that your dentures are easier to use.

However, if you have many of your teeth still, you may not need full dentures. In these instances, partial dentures may be a perfect choice for you. For missing teeth that are concentrated to a few areas of your mouth, partial dentures can restore your look. Plus, they are able to latch onto your surrounding teeth to provide additional structure and support. If you are thinking about restoring areas of your mouth with implants, partial dentures are a good temporary option for you to use while you prepare/heal from implants.

Not sure which option is best for you? Just visit Dr. McGowen for a consultation. She’ll look at your mouth and consider your goals to decide which option for dentures in New Bern is right for you.

Every patient is different, but most people need a few weeks to get used to the feeling of dentures. During the first couple of weeks, we may need to adjust your dentures to make sure they fit snugly in your mouth.

Let us know if you experience any persistent discomfort in any key areas and we’ll look into adjusting your dentures to accommodate.

Over time, you’ll begin to get used to the dentures and before long they’ll feel like a natural extension of your mouth

Keeping your dentures in good condition can prolong their lifespan and protect your mouth from damage. You should remove your dentures each night and soak them in denture solution to eliminate bacteria on the appliance. In addition, regularly cleaning your dentures with a dedicated denture brush will further protect their appearance and remove bacteria.

Along with maintaining your dentures, it’s important to keep your mouth healthy as well. Make sure to brush your gums, tongue, and any remaining teeth twice a day to remove plaque and bacteria.

With the proper care, most dentures last for an average of 10 years or so. Over time, however, you may need to get replacements. Not only can your dentures become worn or damaged, but your jawline as well can change, shifting the way dentures sit in your mouth. We can realign your dentures periodically, but eventually you’ll need to visit us again for new dentures in New Bern.

In many cases, we may be able to restore your teeth’s function without dentures if you only have a few missing teeth.

For isolated gaps in your teeth, we usually recommend dental implants. This is a permanent solution to replace missing teeth with custom-designed replacements. For dental implants, we’ll work closely with an oral surgeon to install small metal posts in your jawbone. Then we’ll create special crowns to mount on these posts that you can use just like your natural teeth.

For some patients, implants may not be the best option, especially if you have decay or weakness in your jaw bone. There’s still hope though thanks to dental bridges. Bridges are similar to implants, except that instead of being mounted to your jaw, they are mounted to adjacent teeth. Plus, we can design bridges that can replace multiple adjacent missing teeth.

With a dental bridge, we’ll 3D model your replacement teeth to fit your mouth. In addition, we’ll create special crowns on either end of the bridge that slot over the teeth adjacent to the gap. Once your bridge is complete, we’ll permanently cement it in your mouth and make sure it fits properly.
At your initial consultation, we’ll consider your mouth and develop a personalized plan that works for you.