If you lost all your teeth, would you want perfectly straight, bright white artificial ones to replace them? Most people think that’s the way to go, but it’s not really a good idea, says Dr. Bart Kreiner, who runs his own dental practice, Dr. Kreiner Family Dentistry, in Bel Air, Maryland. Here, he talks about how more realistic-looking dentures are really the way to go.
People have a choice when it comes to replacing their teeth. The basic choice is: Do you want perfectly white teeth that are set perfectly straight, or do you want teeth that look more natural?
In real life, teeth are not perfectly white, and generally speaking, not perfectly straight. So I tell my patients that if they want their artificial teeth to look natural, then they need to select a color and a type set which are natural in appearance.
Bringing Back That Old Smile
Sometimes patients have brought in pictures of what their smile looked like when they had their own teeth. Some pictures we matched up with what they used to look like. If something was unique about their smile, we can match it up closely.
For instance, if there was space between their front two incisors, we can put a space between their denture teeth. If one tooth was crooked and overlapped the other, we can attempt to recreate that by making one denture tooth crooked and slightly overlapping the neighboring tooth.
We do have people who want white, straight teeth. They choose this as they were unsatisfied with their original teeth, and now that they have a choice and are paying for it, they want super-white teeth that are perfectly straight. Unfortunately, however, when you get done, they look perfectly fake.
Try Before You Buy
I do a trying-out appointment for my patients where the denture teeth are set in wax, and the patient actually gets to see what they will look like when the teeth are in their mouth but before they are finally processed and made. So they will know what they are getting before they decide on the final set.
They don’t have the ability to chew food in them, as they are in wax. But they have the ability to see what they will look like in their mouth. And the best part is, if they don’t like something, we can change it. If they don’t like the color, we can change it. If they are too straight, we can make them a little crooked. If they are a little crooked, we can make them a bit straighter. We can set it up so the patients are perfectly satisfied, and they get exactly what they want.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
