In the past, a lot of dentures looked slightly different than natural teeth due to the surface texture of acrylic and other denture materials. In recent years upgrades in oral prosthetic materials and technology have made natural-looking dentures possible, as well as affordable.
Though there are some important details to keep in mind when finding the right natural-looking dentures to restore your missing teeth.
What Are Natural-Looking Dentures?
By now you’re probably wondering what is the most natural-looking dentures, and what makes them different from conventional dentures.
In a sense, natural-looking dentures are premium dentures with more realistic shaped teeth, contours, and surface textures that closely mimic the appearance of natural tooth enamel. The base that the artificial teeth are founded in also looks more like real, human gum tissue.
What Do You Need To Know About Natural-Looking Dentures?
Natural-looking dentures are a premium type of dentures that make the most out of the modern-day state-of-the-art prosthetic denture technology. While they do cost a little more than conventional dentures, they have a cosmetic appeal and longer lifespan that many feel makes them more than worthy of investing in.
Shape Of the Teeth
The shape of the teeth in natural-looking dentures looks more organic. Many prosthetic dental experts even give you options for choosing the shape of the teeth that will appear in your smile. This lets you choose tooth shapes that more closely resemble your original natural teeth.
Naturalistic Tooth Texture
The surface texture of natural-looking dentures is also something that differentiates them from conventional dentures. They look more like real tooth enamel, without the sort of artificial glistening of traditional dentures.
Aesthetics Of The Gum Tissue
The replica gum tissue of natural-looking dentures uses layered acrylic to create superior color depth that better replicates the appearance of natural gum tissue. This does away with the unnatural pink acrylic gum base that left many conventional denture wearers feeling self-conscious.
The Process Of Getting Natural-Looking Dentures
If you’ve been unhappy with the appearance of past imperfect natural-looking dentures, then you need to find a specialist who offers true natural-looking or premium dentures. Once you’ve located a dental restoration specialist who offers natural-looking dentures you can start the process by setting up an initial consultation appointment.
Initial Consultation
The process of being fitted for the most natural-looking dentures requires an in-depth consultation session where the denture specialist will ask you questions to determine if you are a good candidate for natural-looking dentures, or if other affordable dentures and implants might be a better way to address your tooth loss.
You might want to research denture information for caregivers if you are responsible for making oral health care decisions for someone else. A lot of public health institutions and a fair number of insurance carriers classify high-end natural-looking dentures as being cosmetic, which rarely qualifies them as being a medical necessity.
Full Oral Examination And Review Options
When looking for the best natural-looking dentures it helps to review your options. To do this, the dentist will need to perform a comprehensive oral exam. This usually requires a series of X-rays as well as a screening for signs of oral cancer and/or periodontal disease.
At that point, you can explore the various high-end natural-looking dentures that can be produced through their partnered dental lab.
Decision Time And Scheduling
The decision timing and scheduling can vary depending on if you have additional compromised teeth that need to be removed or any underlying oral health concerns that might complicate the process. If you have additional teeth that need to be extracted, you might have to wait six to eight weeks for the underlying gum tissues to heal.
Many patients also need to see pre-approval from their dental insurance carrier to determine the level of coverage they have for natural-looking dentures. Some dental insurance companies offer less coverage or natural-looking dentures, as they might classify them as being “Cosmetic.”
When you’re ready the dental restoration specialist will take a detailed impression of your gums as well as some visual scans. This will also help to define the characteristics of the base, which might influence the shape of the teeth you can select for the final denture. You can even choose natural-looking dentures with spaces between the teeth to look more like how your natural dentition did before tooth loss.
How Do Natural-Looking Dentures Work?
In six to eight weeks after selecting your natural-looking denture options, you’ll be called back to the dentist’s office for a Try-In session. This lets you fit the new denture in your mouth to confirm that it has the fit and appearance you want.
If only minor chances are necessary, the dentist might be able to make them on-site. If you would like more major changes, then the dentist might need to have the denture altered by the dental lab.
When your final denture is ready, your dentist will go over any basic denture care instructions. This usually consists of routine rinsing to keep them free of plaque and food particles, as well as brushing them daily with non-abrasive denture polish.
What Are The Types Of Natural Looking Dentures?
There are several different types of natural-looking dentures to consider. The one that is right for you might depend on your budget, as well as the number of teeth you need to restore.
A partial denture only replicates two to five teeth in a single removable dental prosthetic. This is a common option for someone who lost multiple teeth due to severe oral trauma.
A single-tooth denture is also a form of natural-looking denture, it simply replicates one tooth, which might have been lost to oral trauma or tooth decay.
A full denture replaces a complete dental arch. This could be the top or bottom set of teeth. This is more likely to be the case for something who has lost multiple teeth to gum disease or they’ve reached the point of terminal dentition.
Many times flexible dentures differ as they are made from thinner layers of acrylic, which might not always qualify as natural-looking dentures.
How Much Do Natural-Looking Dentures Cost?
When it comes to the out-of-pocket natural-looking dentures cost the first thing you need to do is review the fine print language of your dental insurance. A lot of dental insurance plans will try to classify natural-looking dentures as being cosmetic, which reduces or completely eliminate the coverage.
When you compare dentures cost natural-looking dentures can range from $1,500 to $5,000. A complete arch denture will be closer to the $5,000 mark.
Will Natural-Looking Dentures Affect My Appearance?
If you look at natural-looking dentures pictures you’ll probably be amazed at how much they look like real teeth and gums. They are a preferred option for people who have felt self-conscious about how conventional dentures made their smile look in the past. When they are up for a replacement set of dentures, or their partial denture needs to be replaced with a complete dental arch, natural-looking dentures tend to be a top option.
How To Get Natural-Looking Dentures?
If you’re wondering how to get natural-looking dentures you can enter the term “Natural Looking Dentures Near Me” into your favorite internet search engine. This will give you a list of results, which you can cross-check with your dental insurance carrier to make sure they are paneled as being in-network.
You might be wondering what type of dental lab can make the most natural-looking dentures. Thankfully, today most dental labs in the United States can produce premium-grade high-end dentures that look just like real teeth and gums.
FAQ
Premium full arch dentures are the most natural-looking dentures as the replica teeth and gums don’t have to match your existing teeth and periodontal tissues. You’ll also want to find a specialist who allows you to select the shape of the teeth and gums.
The process of getting natural-looking dentures is relatively painless. Though if you have existing problems with severe periodontal disease, or several remaining teeth with compromised roots, you might need to have these teeth extracted. This can delay the denture fitting process by as much as six to eight weeks.
Natural-looking dentures come with a premium price tag that can be upwards of $5,000 or more. Compounding this is that some dental insurance companies classify them as being cosmetic, which limits or voids coverage. This can leave you shouldering more out-of-pocket costs than lower-quality conventional dentures.
References
- Average cost of denture repairing and relining. (2021) Retrived 26th from https://www.dentureliving.com/en-us/advice-tips/preparing-for-dentures/costs/average-costs-of-denture-repairing-and-relining
- Good vs. Bad Dentures: How to Know The Quality. (2021) Retrived 26th from https://eurodenture.com/blog/quality-dentures/
- FDA Approves EnvisionTEC’s E-Denture Material to 3D Print Removables. (2017) Retrived 26th from https://www.3dprintingmedia.network/fda-approves-envisiontecs-e-denture-material-3d-print-removables/
- Desktop Health Receives FDA Clearance for Flexcera for Next Generation 3D Printed Dentures. (2021) Retrived 26th from https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210512005510/en/Desktop-Health-Receives-FDA-Clearance-for-Flexcera-for-Next-Generation-3D-Printed-Dentures
