Being told you need dentures for the first time can be hard to hear. It usually comes after years of fixing the same teeth, and it raises questions right away: Will people be able to tell? Will I be able to talk normally? What will it feel like? Those are the questions we spend the most time answering.
Atlas Dental Specialists provides complete, partial, and implant-supported dentures at our Downtown office on Fifth Avenue, one river crossing from the North Shore. Drs. Nicholas and Mara Mangini are prosthodontists, so the same doctors who plan your extractions also design your new teeth.
Modern dentures do not have to look like dentures. We select tooth shape, shade, and size to suit your face, and we set the teeth so they support your lips and cheeks naturally. The gum-colored base is tinted to blend with your own tissue.
Before the final denture is made, you try in a wax version so you can see your new smile and ask for changes. Whether you need a complete denture, a partial, or an implant design, you approve the look before it is finished. Our dentures guide covers every type.
Some first-time wearers decide to add implants from the beginning. An implant-supported denture snaps onto two to four implants, so it stays secure while you talk, laugh, and eat, and it spares you much of the learning curve that comes with keeping a conventional lower denture in place.
Implants can be placed at the time of extraction in some cases or after a healing period in others. We use 3D imaging to decide which approach fits your bone and explain both timelines. You can also read about snap-in dentures and fixed All-on-4 options.
If teeth need to be removed, we can place an immediate denture the same day as your extractions. You leave with teeth, and the denture protects your gums while they heal. As the tissue settles over the next few months, we reline or replace it to keep the fit accurate.
Speech usually adjusts within a few days to a couple of weeks. Reading aloud at home helps your tongue learn the new shape quickly. We see you for short follow-ups to smooth any sore spots.
Walk across the Roberto Clemente Bridge, or ride the T from North Side or Allegheny station to Wood Street and walk a few blocks to our office on Fifth Avenue. Our Downtown office is open until 6 PM Tuesday through Thursday for appointments before or after work.
For everyday care, see our North Shore dental care page, or read about our North Shore prosthodontist services for complex restorative work.
Well-made dentures look natural. We choose tooth shape and shade to suit your face and let you preview the teeth before the final denture is finished.
Some words may sound slightly different for the first few days. Most people adapt within a couple of weeks, especially if they practice reading aloud.
Yes. An immediate denture can be placed right after extractions so you are never without teeth. It is relined or replaced once your gums finish healing.
Drs. Nicholas and Mara Mangini trained in prosthodontics at the University of Pittsburgh and have led Atlas Dental Specialists since 2014. They handle extractions, implants, and denture design all in one practice.
We accept MetLife, Cigna, Principal, and Ameritas and work with most PPO plans. Schedule a visit at our Downtown office.
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