Dentures and Partials.

Dentures and partial dentures are prosthetics that can replace all or some of your missing teeth. They allow patients to speak, eat, and smile with confidence. Dentures can be designed and fabricated to look like natural teeth and support your face and profile.

Patients need to know dentures are a “good replacement for no teeth but are a poor substitute for teeth”. What do we mean? Your own teeth, if kept healthy, will always be better than dentures and whenever possible the goal should be to save teeth. However, sometimes gum disease, tooth decay, chemical damage, or injury make dentures a good option.

The denture or partial denture fitting process involves several appointments where the doctor will make molds and to complete the fitting. Before the final denture or partial denture is made, you will be allowed to “try in” the prosthesis to ensure that the esthetics are excellent.

THERE ARE FOUR TYPES OF DENTURES:

Conventional dentures replace all the missing teeth in an arch. Typically, a conventional denture is fabricated many months after the remaining teeth are removed and the gums and bone are allowed to heal.

Immediate dentures are inserted on the same day as all the remaining teeth are removed. These are designed and fabricated based on a previous visit to the dentist to take measurements and impressions (molds) or scans of both the upper and lower jaws and their remaining teeth. After many months of healing the immediate denture may need to be relined or a conventional denture made. When many teeth need to be removed, it is most common for two sets of dentures to made and patients are cautioned that their insurance may not cover both sets.

Partial dentures replace some of a patient’s missing teeth and use remaining teeth as support. The remaining teeth often require modifications or crowns for the partial denture to attach to and rest on.

Overdentures are typically dentures that rest on tissue but gain retention with dental implants. It is very common for patients missing some of their teeth to have an upper complete denture and lower overdenture with two implants for retention.

SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS REGARDING DENTURES:

Patients with new dentures will take at least a few weeks to get used to them. Your tongue and muscles of your cheeks will need to adapt to learn how to keep your dentures in place. You might have sores and irritation from your new denture that if they persist will require adjustment of the new denture. This is normal and to be expected. 

You will need to practice good denture hygiene. 

Brush your gums, tongue, and roof of your mouth every morning with a soft-bristled toothbrush before inserting your dentures. 

Rinse your dentures and use a denture brush to clean them daily. 

Brush your dentures over a towel so if you drop them, they do not chip or fracture 

Cleaning your dentures with a denture cleaner will help reduce build up and fungal growth. 

Take your dentures out at night to let tissues “breath”. 

Store your dentures in clean water. 

Denture adhesive may be necessary. Use the smallest amount necessary and make sure to clean the adhesive out of the denture every day to avoid bacteria and fungal growth. 

Maintain regular checkups with your dentist once a year for complete dentures and at twice a year or more if you have partial dentures. 

Do have any questions about your dentures? Please contact us if your dentures are not fitting well or become damaged. We can make you new dentures and see if dental implants may help give your dentures more support.