Dentures

• Traditional/conventional complete full dentures
• partial dentures
• custom dentures
• immediate dentures
• implant supported dentures
• snap-in dentures
• overdentures
• upper dentures
• economy dentures

Complete dentures replace all of a patient’s teeth. They sit on top of the gums, as opposed to dental bridges that are anchored to existing teeth. Complete dentures are typically placed within 8-12 weeks after the teeth have been removed/extracted.

Partial dentures are used when a patient still has some of his or her natural teeth, such as when one or more teeth remain in the upper and lower jaw. There is a pink-colored base that is attached to a metal piece. These two pieces hold the denture in the mouth.They are convenient and removable, which means you can take them out whenever you need to. Partials help to prevent the other teeth from moving, and are made from all-acrylic or acrylic material.

Conventional: This full removable denture is made and placed in your mouth after the remaining teeth are removed and tissues have healed, which may take several months.

Partial Dentures: Partial dentures are used when a patient still has some of his or her natural teeth, such as when one or more teeth remain in the upper and lower jaw. There is a pink-colored base that is attached to a metal piece. These two pieces hold the denture in the mouth.They are convenient and removable, which means you can take them out whenever you need to. Partials help to prevent the other teeth from moving, and are made from all-acrylic or acrylic material.

Immediate: This removable denture is inserted on the same day that the remaining teeth are removed. Your dentist will take measurements and make models of your jaw during a preliminary visit. You don’t have to be without teeth during the healing period, but may need to have the denture relined or remade after your jaw has healed.

Overdenture: Sometimes some of your teeth can be saved to preserve your jawbone and provide stability and support for the denture. An overdenture fits over a small number of remaining natural teeth after they have been prepared by your dentist. Implants can serve the same function, too.

New dentures may feel awkward for a few weeks until you become accustomed to them. The dentures may feel loose while the muscles of your cheek and tongue learn to keep them in place. It is not unusual to experience minor irritation or soreness. You may find that saliva flow temporarily increases. As your mouth becomes accustomed to the dentures, these problems should go away. Follow-up appointments with the dentist are generally needed after a denture is inserted so the fit can be checked and adjusted. If any problem persists, particularly irritation or soreness, be sure to consult your dentist.

Even if you wear full dentures, you still have to practice good dental hygiene. Brush your gums, tongue and roof of your mouth every morning with a soft-bristled brush before you insert your dentures to stimulate circulation in your tissues and help remove plaque.

Like your teeth, your dentures should be brushed daily to remove food particles and plaque. Brushing also can help keep the teeth from staining.

• Rinse your dentures before brushing to remove any loose food or debris.
• Use a soft bristle toothbrush and a non-abrasive cleanser to gently brush all the surfaces of the dentures so they don’t get scratched.
• When brushing, clean your mouth thoroughly—including your gums, cheeks, roof of your mouth and tongue to remove any plaque. This can help reduce the risk of oral irritation and bad breath.
• When you’re not wearing your dentures, put them in a safe place covered in water to keep them from warping.
• Occasionally, denture wearers may use adhesives. Adhesives come in many forms: creams, powders, pads/wafers, strips or liquids. If you use one of these products, read the instructions, and use them exactly as directed. Your dentist can recommend appropriate cleansers and adhesives; look for products with the ADA Seal of Acceptance. Products with the ADA Seal have been evaluated for safety and effectiveness.

If you have any questions about your dentures, or if they stop fitting well or become damaged, contact your dentist. Be sure to schedule regular dental checkups, too. The dentist will examine your mouth to see if your dentures continue to fit properly.

Typically, an extraction is possible 6-8 weeks after and extraction. This allows sufficient time for the mouth to heal. Obviously, your dentist will re-examine to ensure enough time has passed prior to fitting dentures.

Combinations of porcelain, acrylic resin, nylon and chrome cobalt metal are used to make dentures. Porcelain used to be the preferred material for making denture teeth, but resin has taken over in popularity because it’s lighter and cheaper, and the material sticks better to the denture base.

The need is not dependent on your age, but on the condition of your teeth. Needing dentures is fairly common among those over age 40. According to a 2009 survey by Fixodent, a denture adhesive, 19 percent of American women over age 40 wear dentures. And by 2020, 37.9 million people will have dentures.

Dental implants are often a popular choice for people who have only one or two teeth missing, but they can be an alternative to dentures if you have several missing teeth. As long as your gums and jaw are healthy, two or more implants can serve as a base of support for several replacement teeth.

Research shows that once the teeth are removed, the jaw bone shrinks and changes shape. Typically, dentures should be checked every year, and often they should be remade when they lose their fit and are loose in your mouth after 5-10 years of use.

If you’ve had teeth removed due to decay or gum disease and will be receiving permanent dentures, your dentist may suggest temporary or “immediate” dentures. These are dentures you can wear for the first two to three months immediately after tooth removal. They can be especially helpful for someone with a history of sensitive teeth and gums, since the patient does not have to be without teeth while the area heals, and any remaining sensitive teeth are subject to less pressure from chewing food.

The creation of temporary dentures may require four to five dental visits prior to tooth extraction. Temporary dentures are made using basically the same technique as a permanent denture, but because they are made in advance of any surgery, you can’t tell exactly how your mouth will look after teeth are removed. By contrast, the molds for conventional dentures are made once the gum tissues have healed following any tooth extractions, which takes about six to eight weeks. During this time, the gum tissues will shrink and so the fit of temporary dentures will change.