Dental Implants: Stains, Whitenings and Other Considerations
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Dental Implants: Stains, Whitenings and Other Considerations

Dental implants can make a smile look fabulous – I know I have them. However, if you are just thinking about getting them, you may have a lot of questions. You may be wondering how smoking affects implants, whether or not wine will stain them, if they can be whitened or other concerns. I also know from experience that it can be intimidating to ask some of these questions to your dentist. In my dental implant blog, I am going to answer the questions that can be hard to ask. I hope you find the info you need in this blog and that it guides you to the right decision about dental implants. Thanks for reading!

Dental Implants: Stains, Whitenings and Other Considerations

Can You Still Wear Damaged Dentures?

Isobel Berry

If you suddenly lose a tooth, is it a dental emergency? It absolutely is. If you suddenly lose a prosthetic tooth from your dentures, is it a denture emergency? That's also a yes. You will need emergency denture repairs. But what can cause the sudden loss of a tooth from your dentures, and how should you handle the situation?

Longevity

Your dentures are designed for longevity. They will occasionally need maintenance to make sure they provide the best possible fit, but having one (or more) of your prosthetic teeth detach from the denture base isn't generally caused by standard wear and tear. It's more likely to be caused by an accident.

Not Indestructible

Dentures are strong, but they're certainly not indestructible. You might have dropped them while handling them for cleaning. You might have also had an accident that resulted in blunt force trauma to your jaw. Regardless of the cause, find and retain the lost tooth. Reattachment might be possible, and this is usually more straightforward (and less expensive) than having a new tooth made. 

Make an Appointment

You should make an appointment with a denture repair clinic, but do you have to live without your dentures until repairs have been made? This is possibly the case, but it depends on the severity of the damage.

Backup Dentures

If you have a backup pair of dentures, switch to these. Not everyone has a backup, and you might not want to go without your dentures. However, you need to be careful that your dentures have not been damaged to the point that they could be potentially dangerous.

Cracked Base Plate

Dentures can be hazardous when the damage has resulted in a crack (however small) to the denture base plate. This crack could rapidly expand to the point that the base plate breaks in two, and this can be dangerous when you're wearing the dentures at the time. If there are any cracks at all, refrain from wearing your dentures.

Missing Prosthetic Tooth

When the base plate is intact, and the only damage is the missing prosthetic tooth, your dentures might still be usable, although some basic modifications might be needed. Be careful that the missing tooth has not resulted in any exposed hard edges. This can injure your tongue, along with other soft tissues in your mouth. Applying dental wax over the hard edges can be a temporary solution, but the emphasis is on temporary. Prompt denture repairs will still be needed.

Just whether you can still wear damaged dentures depends on the nature of the damage, but urgent repairs are still essential


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