Gaps in your smile can affect not only your confidence but also the function of your teeth. This leads to distress for the patient who struggles to eat many everyday foods, and strain on your remaining teeth which are having to work harder to compensate for those reduced bite and chew functions.
Thankfully there are a number of options available to replace the missing spaces in your smile and support you fully in regaining your eating, speaking, and smiling capabilities – at Dame Street Dental we can provide dentures, Dental Bridges and Dental Implants.
Book onlineDentures are a set of removable false teeth made from either acrylic or metal which sit snugly over the gums. They can be designed to replace a single tooth, multiple missing teeth, or indeed a full mouth of teeth, eliminating unwelcome gaps that impact the appearance of your smile and restoring your ability to chew.
When a number of a patient’s teeth have been lost – whether through tooth decay, gum disease, or indeed dental trauma – the gap or gaps created in your mouth are not only a concern in the short term, but can also snowball to cause greater complications for your appearance down the line. Without the natural structure provided by teeth, the facial muscles of your lips and cheeks are unsupported and will droop and sag at an increased rate, causing a prematurely aged appearance and wrinkling around the mouth.
A full denture can be fitted following any emerging situation where all of a patient’s upper and/or lower teeth need to be removed, and replaced by an aesthetically matched artificial set of teeth. In this case your denture(s) will be fitted immediately after your teeth have been removed to fit comfortably over the gums and jawbone, so that once you are scheduled for treatment you won’t be left without teeth for any time. These full dentures can be either fixed in place or removable, depending on your needs and preferences.
A partial denture is less commonly what people picture when they think of dentures, however they are just as frequently employed. The design of a partial denture is to fill only the gaps in your remaining teeth, where a plate holding a number of false teeth is custom-made to the shape of your mouth and conforming to the gaps needed to complete each row of your teeth, is held securely in place by attaching with metal clips to some of your remaining natural teeth. This kind of denture functions similarly to a Dental Bridge and offers a fully removable alternative to that procedure.
At Dame Street Dental we use acrylic and metal materials to create both full and partial dentures.
Acrylic dentures:
Metal dentures:
If you or someone you know is experiencing any issues or has concerns about a current set of dentures, or to receive a full dental examination and discuss getting dentures for the first time, you can book a consultation with one of our friendly and highly experienced dentists who will be happy to discuss all of the available options to replace your missing teeth at Dame Street Dental.
Initial consultation
Your dentist will carry out a comprehensive examination to assess what types of denture are suitable for your case, including the taking of targeted dental X-rays to assess your teeth and jawbone condition. At Dame Street Dental we see ourselves as your partners in your dental care, so at this consultation your dentist will also discuss with you your hopes, preferences, and any concerns for treatment, to determine alongside the circumstances of your teeth and mouth health what the best and most appropriate treatment option is for you going forward.
Once you and your dentist have decided upon the ideal course of action you will be given a detailed treatment plan, including an accurate estimate for the total time until completion of all stages, and a full breakdown of costs involved using our various payment plans. Only once you are happy to proceed with treatment, your dentist will take an impression (a 3D recording) of your mouth and remaining teeth, to allow for the fabrication of your denture to begin.
Denture fabrication
Your new custom-made denture will be constructed in a number of different stages by a dental technician following your initial consultation, where a record impression of your teeth is taken, including a record of your bite so this can be replicated on your denture. Your dentist will schedule you to return to the clinic for review after each stage is completed.
The dentists at this clinic work closely with our dental lab technicians to ensure that your unique denture mimics your natural teeth as closely as possible, advising and choosing with you whichever options are right for your smile. It takes between 3 to 5 visits to create a new denture – our dentists and technicians take time to carefully select tooth shape, size, and colour and to ensure your new set of teeth are easy to insert and fit comfortably.
If you have opted for a metal denture, at some of your appointments your dentist will have to make some very minor adjustments to some of your teeth to make space for your denture and allow it to clip on securely. This process is completely pain free and can be done without the need for dental anaesthetic.
Once the fabrication model has been fully completed for your new denture, including replicating your original bite pattern and matching for shape and size, the clinic will receive a temporary wax rendering your new denture – from this you and your dentist will get an idea of how your final denture will look. At this stage we can discuss, revise, and change the colour of the teeth until you are happy with both the feel and appearance of the prosthetic.
The lab technicians will fabricate your completed, permanent denture from this final revision using the materials decided on in your treatment plan. At this stage your dentist will schedule you to return for your final visit and will fit the denture in place. Some fine tuning may be carried out at this appointment to perfect your bite. You will also be given detailed instructions on how to properly care for your new denture by your dentist, who will also be happy to answer any remaining questions or concerns that you have.
Aftercare
At your final fitting appointment, your dentist will let you know the ideal maintenance schedule for both your dentures and how to best look after and safeguard the remaining of your natural teeth, as well as when you should next book in for a dental check-up.
After having teeth removed, the density and profile of your jawbone changes, and this ‘shrinkage’ will affect the fit of your dentures over time, as there is less bone for them to hold on to and rest on. Routine dental examinations with your treating dentist will ensure that your denture is providing the optimal support and function at all times, and allow them to catch any complications or issues arising early, to take action to offset or prevent them.
In most cases your denture will have to be changed after a period of 7 to 10 years. Dentures are an everyday, high-use and high-impact prosthetic, so even the most durable of materials will usually need to be replaced by the end of that time period, to ensure you are still receiving the full benefits and enhancement to your bite function and appearance.
Conventional dentures come in two different styles – full dentures or partial dentures. The kind you need will depend on whether you are replacing only a few missing teeth throughout your mouth (partial), or an entire row of upper or lower teeth, or both (full).
Denture fittings can be made either entirely of acrylic (plastic) or as acrylic on a chrome cobalt metal base. The artificial teeth embedded in this plate are also fabricated from this acrylic material which can be fully colour-matched to your natural teeth.
Full dentures can only be made from acrylic due to the positioning and anchoring involved, while partial dentures can be made from either acrylic or metal.
At your initial consultation your dentist will discuss in detail all of the above fitting and material options, to ensure that your new dentures are the best fit for you and your lifestyle.
It is also possible to get an Implant Retained Denture. This advanced permanent treatment option for full or partial loss of teeth involves creating a custom-made denture which clips on to between 4 and 6 dental implants embedded into the patient’s jawbone, overcoming the issues associated with loose or unstable false teeth over time.
Due to being in constant, repetitive daily use, it is inevitable that over time the artificial teeth of your dentures will wear, changing the bite and making them less effective when you eat. The bone of our jaw also shrinks as we age, a gradual process that is sped up when there are no teeth rooted into the bone maintaining that original shape. So, after a period of time most dentures will start to fit less well, becoming looser and causing discomfort. Most dentures will last for 7 years of proper, everyday wear, after which you should see your dentist to discuss changing and refitting your dentures.
Using the latest high-tech dental techniques and materials, dentures can look very natural and aesthetically pleasing indeed. At Dame Street Dental, our dentists and lab technicians work in partnership with you, taking time with every denture case to choose the best shape, size, and shade of teeth so that they will blend in seamlessly with the rest of your smile.
With full dentures it is also possible to mimic your natural teeth from old photographs if you wish, or we can copy and update the design of your current dentures giving the most natural, consistent result.
We will never process your final denture without making sure you are 100% happy with it. That is why we do a final try using a temporary set of dentures prior to completion with your final materials, so you can see exactly what the shade and position of your teeth will be.
Yes, at Dame Street Dental we offer a range of treatments to combat missing teeth in addition to conventional treatment with full or partial dentures.
Dental Bridges offer a non-removable treatment option. Bridges bond to your remaining teeth to fill a gap in your smile by supporting an artificial tooth or teeth between two natural teeth. This treatment is only possible as an alternative to certain cases otherwise requiring a partial denture, not for full dentures where all original teeth are missing.
Dental Implants are a revolutionary, state-of-the-art treatment option, which allows your dental specialist to fill the gaps left by one or multiple missing teeth by replacing the root with a body-safe titanium screw, which is then used to anchor a new restoration securely in place, whether that is a single dental crown, a bridge of multiple teeth, or a full denture.
Dame Street Dental’s specially qualified Implantologists are highly experienced in the surgical placement of singular implants intended to replace just one missing tooth, as well as the extremely popular alternatives to traditional dentures (both full and partial): Implant Retained Dentures and the All-on-4 implant process. These methods utilise the latest in implant technology to overcome all the issues of slippage, discomfort, or loss of bone health typically associated with dentures – these securely rooted, flexible full and partial restorations are the closest modern dentistry has come to replacing your natural teeth.
The right treatment for you can depend on a number of different factors including time frames, finance, and personal preference. At your initial consultation, your dentist will always walk you through each available option for treatment that is suitable to your unique case, and will answer any questions or address any concerns you have, to help you choose the treatment plan that works best for you and your wellbeing.
From the first visit when your dental bite and impressions are recorded, it will usually take between 4 to 6 weeks until you have your final denture ready to fit and take home.
You will need to attend the clinic every 1 to 2 weeks for a 30 minute appointment during the fabrication process of your custom-made dentures, which the team will schedule in for you.
At Dame Street Dental the cost of dentures ranges from €650 to €2,000 depending on the number of teeth you need to have replaced and therefore whether a full or partial denture is required, and on your preferences for either an acrylic or cobalt chrome (metal) denture.
Your dentist will always give you a detailed cost breakdown of all stages and materials costs as part of your specific treatment plan at your initial consultation with us. They will be able to discuss with you all of the payment plan options we have available at Dame Street Dental to best suit your treatment needs, lifestyle, and budget. We offer one plan that allows you to pay for your dentures treatment monthly, with absolutely no down payment required and at 0% interest!
Whether you’re thinking of replacing your existing dentures, or in need of urgent help regarding tooth loss
Call (0)1 525 2670 or book your initial consultation with one of our dedicated and experienced dentists today