Affordable Dentures in Houston and How They Work for You

Where can you find affordable dentures in Houston? Dental implants including dentures are a preferred method to restore several lost teeth at once after an accident or decay has taken them.

At NABA Dental, we have the expertise to install custom fitted, affordable dentures for you so you can have your smile back. Our dentures are designed to provide you with a normal appearance of a full set of teeth as well as restoring your bite to normal.

Dentures or Dental Bridges?

Both dentures and dental bridges are designed to replace lost teeth. However, dentures can be more cost effective, especially when you need to replace several teeth at once, including all of them if need be.

Dental bridges use a crown on two adjacent teeth to suspend a pontic, or false tooth, within a gap. Several bridges would be necessary to replace numerous lost teeth, and they may not be able to accommodate several lost teeth in a row.

On the other hand, partial dentures use a metal framework that relies on leverage against the gums and roof of your mouth to suspend several pontics. It is more cost effective to have several dental implants mounted on a single framework than one for each gap.

Partial or Complete Dentures

Partial dentures are designed to replace two or more teeth in your mouth that have been lost. They restore appearance and biting capability, allowing you to eat, drink, and speak naturally once again.

If all of the teeth are gone from your mouth, whether lost on their own or removed by a dentist, a complete set of dentures replaces all of them. Complete dentures are often designed to look like a removable set of teeth and gums that fit over your actual gums.

With partial dentures, a metal framework suspends pontics throughout your mouth, on either the lower or upper array, and can include both if needed.

The framework uses leverage to maintain the position of the pontics, but the dentures can easily be removed for cleaning or repairs.

Materials

Denture Teeth

The teeth in dentures are primarily made from acrylic resin, which keeps costs down to make them affordable while still making them look natural and remain functional.

Denture teeth are also made from porcelain, which is more durable than the resin, making them ideal for replacing necessary chewing teeth. The main downside, however, is that porcelain teeth have a tendency to wear down and damage nearby real teeth.

In complete sets of dentures, however, all porcelain teeth are frequently used, both for their durability and appearance.

Recent advances in dentistry have made acrylic resins more durable, thanks to hybrid composites. Typical resins, like those used in dental bonding, can wear out quickly, but these hybrid composite resins are more durable and last longer.

Resin dentures are still less durable than porcelain dentures, and should be replaced every five to eight years. The reduced cost of acrylic resin makes them an affordable option for dentures in Houston, however.

Denture Framework

Denture frameworks can be made from a few different materials, but most notably rigid acrylic resin or chrome cobalt metal. These can be used for both partial and complete dentures.

After an impression mold is taken of your gums, the mold is sent to our laboratory where a dental technician can fabricate the necessary framework that will fit your mouth exactly.

Poorly fitting dentures and other implants can lead to gum disease and other bothersome conditions, so we take exceptional care to ensure they are the perfect fit for you.

Acrylic resin plates can be color matched to your gums, giving a natural appearance, but metal frameworks are sturdier and more durable. It is completely up to you which method you wish to use, as both can be affordable denture options.

Preventing Gum Disease with Gingivitis Treatments in Houston

Often dismissed as a nuisance rather than a disease, gingivitis can ultimately have some far reaching consequences for those who don’t nip it in the bud when it first shows up.

Characterized by the tendency to have bleeding gums, gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease and is the most easily treated stage. Proper oral care can prevent gingivitis, but should they be necessary, gingivitis treatments are available in Houston.

Stages of Gum Disease

Stage 1: Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease. It may not always show any symptoms and can often go unnoticed because of that, but the main symptoms to look out for are:

·         Swollen or puffy gums

·         Tender or sore gums

·         Perpetual bad breath

·         Gums changing color to a milky white

·         Receding gum line

Stage 2: Periodontal Disease is the second stage and brings with it more consequences.Most notably, the gums are painful and bright red, possibly with pus developing. You may also notice loose teeth or space developing between teeth.

Stage 3: Advanced periodontal disease is even worse, with teeth actually falling out, the gums receding great distances, and jawbone infections developing.

Taking care of gingivitis early on will prevent it from advancing to the later stages, which are much more difficult to treat.

Causes and Risks

The primary cause of gingivitis is the buildup of plaque along the gumline.

Plaque is the waste material of bacteria, and it becomes a haven for the disease spreading bugs to grow. As plaque hardens, it becomes tartar, which is more difficult to remove and protects the bacteria from at home care.

The main risks associated with developing gingivitis stem from poor oral hygiene. Taking care of your teeth will greatly reduce your chances of developing gum disease, though there are other risk factors as well.

Smoking, old age, prescription medications, and diabetes can all increase the risk of getting gingivitis.

Gingivitis Treatment in Houston

Your local Galleria dentist can easily diagnose and treat gingivitis, leaving your mouth clean and your smile bright. You should schedule an appointment with your Houston dentist as soon as you discover the symptoms of gingivitis developing.

Diagnosis of the disease is typically conducted with a thorough visual examination of the mouth and description of symptoms you’re experiencing. Should no obvious signs be detected, more thorough examinations such as x-rays may be necessary.

A complete deep cleaning of teeth is usually more than enough to treat gingivitis, and the best dentist in Houston certainly has the tools and methods needed to clean teeth exceptionally well.

Beyond a deep cleaning at the dentist, your Memorial dentist will also recommend brushing and home care techniques to prevent further development of gingivitis.

She will teach you the proper way to brush your teeth to effectively remove plaque from the teeth, along with flossing and rinsing to get rid of hidden plaque. All combined, these tips will help you keep your smile bright at home.

The Best Treatment from the Best Dentist in Houston

Taking care of your teeth is important to your overall health. We’re here to ensure your teeth get the care they need to be healthy.

Through teaching of proper cleaning techniques at home, you can prevent the onset of gingivitis and periodontal disease. Should you discover the symptoms of either of these two diseases, we’ll help you bring it under control so you can bring back your smile.

Advanced Periodontal Disease Treatment in Houston

Without proper care to treat the underlying problem, periodontal disease can lead to the third, most damaging stage of gum disease: advanced periodontitis. This stage begins to affect the bones of your jaw and your teeth, and can be more difficult to treat.

Advanced periodontal disease treatment in Houston is available and effective, but it is certainly more involved than either of the treatments for earlier stages of gum disease.

Causes of Periodontal Disease Infections

Like with the previous stages of gum disease, advanced periodontal disease also primarily stems from poor oral hygiene where bacteria is allowed to grow unchecked from hardened plaque, called tartar.

There are also some risk factors that increase the chances of developing advanced periodontitis:

●     Smoking: The toxins and carcinogens in tobacco are very damaging to the gums, among other things

●     Diabetes: People who suffer from diabetes also have weakened immune systems, and this can hinder the body’s response to infections.

●     Medications: There are some drugs including medications that increase the risk of gum disease.

●     Improper Implants: Dental implants that are not well fitted can be breeding grounds for bacteria.

●     Hormonal Changes / Heredity: A family history of periodontal disease also increases the risk of developing the disease.

Periodontal Disease Treatments in Houston

Nonsurgical Treatment

There is a nonsurgical periodontal disease treatment option called Scaling and Root Planing (SRP) that removes plaque and tartar from teeth to promote healthy tissue regrowth on the gums.

This procedure can be very uncomfortable and could take several visits to complete. As a result, sedation dentistry is recommended to reduce discomfort as much as possible.

Surgical Treatment

There are also several surgical treatments available for advanced periodontal disease. All of these would utilize sedation dentistry in addition to local anesthetics to reduce discomfort as much as possible.

·         Flap surgery uses a few small incisions in the gums to provide access to the bones and teeth underneath. Once accessible, your Memorial dentist can scale the teeth from the inside, removing tartar buildup to help the gums heal.

·         Soft tissue grafts can be taken from the roof of the mouth and attached to the gums if they have receded too far. This both protects the roots of teeth and improves appearance.

·         Bone grafts may be necessary if the bones of your jaw have become infected from the advanced periodontitis. Infected jaws increase the risk of teeth falling out, but repairing damaged areas will keep them firmly in place.

·         Guided tissue regeneration uses a special fabric to encourage your gum tissue to regrow on its own. The fabric sits between your jawbone and teeth at risk of falling out, and when the tissue regrows and the bone heals, the tooth remains in place.

·         Enamel matrix derivative application works similarly to guided tissue regeneration, but it’s designed to regenerate enamel around tooth roots. The gel includes proteins that are found in new and developing teeth, which stimulates growth.

Advanced Periodontal Disease Care from the Best Dentist in Houston

At Naba Dental, we endeavor to bring you the best care and keep you comfortable throughout every procedure.

We are here to provide the best dental care in Houston and our central location as a dentist in the 77057 area of Houston makes it easy to come by, whether it’s for a checkup or advanced periodontal disease treatment.

Safe Sedation Dentistry in Houston

Feel nervous about visiting the dentist? So do a lot of other people.

It’s common to have phobias about visiting medical facilities, but it’s important to remember that whether you’re in a hospital or a dentist office, you’re there to feel better. Or at the very least continue being healthy with periodic checkups.

However, if you’re one of the millions of Americans that isn’t fond of the dentist, sedation dentistry is just what the doctor ordered.

Origins of Sedation Dentistry

The first recorded uses of successful sedation dentistry date back over a century and a half ago. Doctor William T.G. Morton used a sulfur-ether compound on a live patient at Harvard University in front of an audience of students and doctors back in 1846.

The surgery was a rousing success thanks to the effects of the sedation, but these results were spurred by an even earlier example, used by a dentist.

Horace Wells attempted to use nitrous oxide in a similar experiment a year earlier, but was unsuccessful. He did not have the dosages correct and as a result, the patient remained conscious and aware of sensation.

Little did he know, despite his failure, nitrous oxide would become one of the most common methods used in sedation dentistry.

Nitrous Oxide Sedation Dentistry

Often referred to as laughing gas, nitrous oxide has a curious effect on patients, causing them to relax and feel at ease, despite being in a situation that might otherwise cause them anxiety.

Unlike Dr. Wells, today’s dentists are quite adept at adjusting the dosages of nitrous oxide, often adjusting them on the fly while they work. This is all in an effort to keep the patient conscious, while simultaneously dulling their senses to a point where pain becomes little more than an aware presence of a minor sensation.

The primary benefit of nitrous oxide is to not only reduce sensation but also to calm the patient. While agitated or fearful, a patient is more likely to make sudden movements as reflex actions, which can cause a procedure to be prolonged or halted to protect the patient.

While under the effects of nitrous oxide, the patient is more likely to lie still and allow the dentist to continue unimpeded.

IV Sedation Dentistry

For more involved dental procedures, the patient may need to be brought to the edge of consciousness. IV sedation reduces the sensation of all feelings, nearly to the point of not feeling them at all, and has a very profound effect on a patient.

Just like with nitrous oxide, the IV sedation dentistry is continually monitored and adjusted so the patient is right on the edge of consciousness. In some cases, the patient is barely conscious so that we may give them instructions, or they may be barely unconscious, so that we can complete a lot of work in a single session.

In either case, IV sedation can really calm a patient, eliminating fear and greatly increasing their pain tolerance.

Safety

As we mentioned, both gas and IV sedation dentistry are continually monitored to adjust dosages on the fly.

Both forms of sedation are safe for adults and children alike, though for use as a kids dentist in Houston, the anesthesiologist must be board certified in pediatric anesthesiology, which is more stringent than the adult counterpart.

No matter how heavily a child or adult is sedated, a simple nudge of the shoulder is often enough to wake them.

After a dental procedure with sedation dentistry, the most common side effect is grogginess, which can last up to a couple of hours, so it’s best not to operate any machinery in this time.