New Denture "a world of difference" for Patients

Dan Winagle’s dentist told him he needed extensive dental work and referred him to a specialist. The specialist referred him to Eastman Dental, where he’s been a patient for the last 15 years, originally with Dr. Gerald Graser, and more recently with Drs. Tatanya Baranovsky and Nancy Mouradian.

Dan did what most parents do – put their children’s needs ahead of their own. Medical bills for his two daughters with severe health problems didn’t leave room for costly dental implants. His untreated dental pain led to abscesses, ultimately needing several extractions. His dentists worked to keep as many of Dan’s teeth as possible, as they would serve as anchors for his new partial dentures. “Without anchors, dentures can slip out while chewing, talking, smiling or laughing, often causing embarrassment.

Within the last several months, though, Dan’s remaining teeth had to be extracted, but this time, Eastman Dental Prosthodontists placed two implants to anchor the bottom denture.

“Anyone who has a bottom denture understands the extreme frustration that goes along with it,” explained Dan, a partner in Spafford/Winagle, a financial consulting agency, specializing in retirement planning. “You have to be very careful with what foods you eat. I love raspberries and peanuts – but they get under the lower denture and it really irritates the gum. Then you have to go rinse out your dentures…it’s very embarrassing when you’re in public.

“Basically, you have to be very careful and re-learn to eat, avoiding foods you love because you’ll have problems,” he added.

“As we age, our bones shrink. Because of this, bottom dentures won’t fit as well, almost as if they are floating in your mouth,” explained Dr. Nancy Mouradian, the Prosthodontist resident who treated Winagle under the supervision of the division chair, Dr. Carlo Ercoli. “Many patients like Dan have found that implant-supported dentures allow a much better fit and better retention without the expense of full implants and crowns.”

At age 85, Dan loves going to work every day to help his clients, many of them who are retired. But now, when he meets a client out for lunch, he smiles a little brighter, and orders exactly what he wants.

“Having the partial denture supported by two implants has been a world of difference! It’s like night and day,” he said. “I can eat whatever I want, and nothing gets under the denture. I can’t say enough good things about Eastman. For 15 years, I’ve always had good care from everyone who’s treated me. Dr. Baranovsky and Mouradian were both extremely caring and capable in the treatment they provided me. I cannot say enough positive things about them.”