Dentures
A denture replaces missing teeth and adjacent
tissues. Unlike dental implants, a denture is removable.
Benefits of Dentures
- Prevents exisiting teeth from drifting
into surrounding space of the missing teeth
- Teeth out of position can damage
tissues in the mouth
- Helps to chew food
Types of Dentures
Complete
Dentures |
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Complete dentures or Full dentures
are used when all the teeth are missing
. Complete dentures can be either "conventional"
or "immediate". The framework
of complete dentures may be made of
resin, metal or a combination.
Implant supported overdentures are an
alternate to conventional dentures whereby
a full dentures is placed over the dental
implants with metal bar/balls that gives
better retention. |
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Partial dentures are used when some
natural teeth remain.
A removable partial denture usually
consists of replacement teeth attached
to a pink or gum-colored plastic base,
which is connected by metal clasps or
precision attachments that holds the
denture in place in the mouth. Precision
attachments are generally more esthetic
than metal clasps and they are nearly
invisible. |
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Conventional Dentures and Immediate Dentures
Conventional Dentures are made after the teeth have
been removed and the gum tissue has begun to heal. Conventional
dentures is ready for placement in the mouth about 8
to 12 weeks after the teeth have been removed.
Immediate dentures are made in advance and can be positioned
as soon as the teeth are removed. As a result, the wearer
does not have to be without teeth during the healing
period. However, bones and gums shrink over time, especially
during the healing period following tooth removal therefore
immediate dentures would usually require more adjustments
to fit properly during the healing process and generally
should only be considered a temporary solution until
conventional dentures can be made. The healing process
as it can take months for your bone and tissue to stabilize
after tooth extractions.
Procedure for Conventional Dentures Treatment
- First Evaulation and dentures site
preparation
- if tooth extraction is required,
the teeth are extracted and left to heal
- Making the dentures
- Once the gums are healed and
healthy, an impression of the mouth is taken for
a wax-up
- The wax-up is used to determine
the most optimal position of the jaw and teeth
dimensions (size, shape, length, width)
- The wax up is sent to a dental
laboratory to construct a "try-in" set
of denture
- Trial of "try-in"
set of dentures and re-adjustments
- The "try-in' denture are
placed in the mouth to assure comfort, fit, bite
position and appearance
- The "try-in" dentures
are re-worked in the labs and trail fitted during
next visits until the color, shape and proper
fit is obtained for the final set of dentures
to be cast
- Fitting of final dentures
For immediate dentures, impression-taking and the wax-up
is first done before tooth extraction.
Recovery Expectations
Recovery from getting dentures may be a two-step process.
If extractions are necessary, patients can expect the
recovery of their gums to take up to 4 weeks or longer.
Once healed and the dentures are placed, the patient
will need time to adjust to the new teeth. While patients
can speak normally within a few hours, they may experience
minor discomfort when eating or chewing. This discomfort
may last from several days to a few weeks until the
muscles of your cheek and tongue learn to keep them
in place and you get comfortable inserting and removing
them. It is recommended that patients with new dentures
eat soft foods until they become comfortable with chewing.
it is not unusual for minor irritation or soreness
to occur and for saliva flow to increase when you first
start wearing dentures, but these problems will diminish
as your mouth adjusts to the new denture.
Care for Dentures
- Dentures should be removed at night
to give the gums a rest and to reduce the pressure
on the underlying bone or as directed by your dentist
- Regular denture care includes brushing
your denture with a denture brush and a denture paste
after eating. Dentures can collect plaque and food
stains
- Keep your dentures in water to avoid
drying out and distorting.
- Dentures can and may break if dropped
onto a hard surface, thus becareful when handling
them.
- Clean and massage your gums and
tongue with a regular soft-bristled toothbrush to
help keep them healthy
Goto section on Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQs) on Dentures
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