INDIANAPOLIS -- A new procedure is changing the way dentures are fitted and is expected to be a boon to the nearly 40 million Americans that will need dentures between now and 2020.

The procedure results in permanent dentures in less than an hour.

DeAnn Ramey, 43, is the first Hoosier to wear the new dentures and Dr. John Porter is the first Indiana doctor to do the procedure.

Dentures, often the butt of biting humor, are no laughing matter to Ramey.

Ramey, a teacher, got top dentures in July 2005 after having all her teeth pulled. A genetic disorder made her susceptible to tooth decay.

Denture prosthesis, also known as "Teeth in an Hour" is the only dental implant restoration for patients who have no teeth.

The procedure involves numbing of the mouth and the capture of a computer image of the jaw. That image is used as a map to precisely place the implant where the prosthesis will attach.

"The fixed bridge attached to the implants and in less than a hour, she'll walk out of the office and eat a regular meal as if it's her own teeth," Porter said.

The procedure doesn't involve an incision. There is no pain or swelling. Ramey's procedure was done in just 34 minutes.

"They look great! I really like them. I like the color of them. They're straight. I feel secure," Ramey said.

Ramey said she will get the bottom dentures fitted in a few months. The procedure costs just under $10,000, which includes the upper and lower dentures. Some insurance companies may cover the cost.