You’ve probably seen a lot of ads for denture adhesive. These companies are making money hand-over fist from dissatisfied patients. Why?
Simple: most dentures do not fit well enough for everyday comfort. Even with adhesive, they slip out of place when talking or eating. This may be because:
- Many dentures that are not precisely fitted can wear out quickly
- Some fit poorly from the beginning
- Changes in your mouth due to traditional options can lead to a poor fit over time
- And much more!
Few denture wearers like their dentures, because traditional options are poor substitutes for our own, real teeth. Dr. Rod Strickland had for many years given up making them because he couldn’t stand giving his patients what seemed to be poor results. But then he took the time to reinvent the denture process, coming up with the The Fountain of Youth Denture™, a new denture that uses the best materials available, and is fitted using neuromuscular dentistry. Combined with dental implants, The Fountain of Youth Denture™ are a comfortable and effective tooth replacement. If you’re ready to schedule an appointment to learn more about Dr. Strickland’s The Fountain of Youth Denture™, contact us today or call us at (912) 234-8282! We welcome local patients as well as out of town guests who travel from around the world to get these amazing dentures direct from their inventor.
Types of Dentures
Dentures available today are generally one of 3 types:
- Economy – Economy options are designed to be inexpensive, sacrificing both fit and appearance for a lower cost. Because they are not highly customized and can be completed quickly, they are often sold as “dentures in a day.” Some of our patients have even joked that these only come in small, medium, and large, which would account for their often very poor fit.
- Traditional – Traditional options are the most commonly used by general dentists. They typically fit okay and look okay, but they often lack in the functional department. Perhaps most bothersome to patients is that the stability in eating prevents them from enjoying their favorite foods like steak, apples, or corn on the cobb.
- Neuromuscular, Cosmetic – We call them The Fountain of Youth Denture™. This is the only type that we feel comfortable offering to our patients. Although they are more expensive, the superior fit, function, and aesthetics are worth the additional cost. The results may even make people think that you’ve had a facelift!
The Fountain of Youth Denture™ Difference
Neuromuscular dentistry utilizes a superior understanding of the interaction between muscles, bones, and teeth to create dental restorations that enhance the function of your jaw. This allows us to improve the fit and appearance of dentures. Because the fit depends partly on muscle action, achieving stable and relaxed muscles automatically results in a better fit.
The position for best muscle function also coincides with the position of maximum facial support. Dentures that fit this way also restore a youthful facial proportion and appearance.
You have probably seen a person’s face collapse or “sink in” when they remove their dentures. That’s because their face no longer has the support of teeth or dentures to maintain its proper proportion. And if they aren’t made to the optimum dimensions, they may still have a “sunken in” appearance even when wearing their The Fountain of Youth Denture™.
However, if a dentist takes the time to utilize neuromuscular dentistry to find the proper size of dentures, a more youthful appearance can be restored at the same time that they are made more comfortable and functional, too.
With the help of neuromuscular dentures, our patients sometimes look 20 years younger. Not only that, they found they could eat more of the foods they enjoyed. The process of making neuromuscular ones does take longer, and it is more expensive, but the functional, aesthetic, and comfort benefits mean that most patients consider them a good investment.
Many dentists are giving up entirely on making dentures because they lack the science, dedication, and patience to make them right. They find the results of their process are so unpredictable and they end up with many dissatisfied patients. Patients who try economy options often end up with a large number of ill-fitting dentures, and an equally large stock of adhesives, as they try, vainly, to get a comfortable fit. Economy dentures are bad for both patients and dentists, and that’s why we only make neuromuscular ones, which we know can be made to fit properly and deliver facelift-quality appearance benefits.
An essential part of our ability to precisely fit The Fountain of Youth Denture™ is Tekscan, a digital bite measurement. Tekscan shows us exactly how much force you’re biting down with on them, where that force hits, when that force hits, and how long it lasts. This allows us to ensure that there are no painful pressure points in your bite. These not only lead to denture pain, they can accelerate facial changes, and even damage them. With Tekscan you can be sure the pressure on your dentures is even and not excessive.
Dental Implants and Dentures
Implants are not a new technique, but have improved greatly in recent memory. The procedure involves surgically placing a fixture in the jaw (bone) to which teeth are attached. If you have the correct available structure, and place enough implants, it is possible to eliminate dentures completely (by replacing them with the new teeth which are attached to the implants).
If you want solid/nonremovable teeth again, then implants are the best option.
Mini-Dental Implants
If you’ve been told that you can’t have dental implants because you don’t have enough bone, then check out our Mini-Implants. These offer a GREAT alternative to traditional dental implants for denture wearers.
For more information about the benefits of neuromuscular, cosmetic dentures, please contact us today or call us at (912) 234-8282 for an appointment at our Savannah, Georgia office.
