Dentures

What Are Dentures?

If you are missing teeth and are considering tooth replacement options, one of the options you have available to you are dentures. Dentures are considered a removable tooth replacement option and they are not permanent within your mouth. Patients have a choice of two different types of dentures that are available including partial and complete.

The type of dentures you need will depend on your situation and how many teeth you are missing or need to have extracted. When a patient is missing all of their teeth or needs to have all teeth extracted, complete dentures are used. When a patient still has some of his or her natural teeth, partial dentures are used.

Partial Dentures: In Depth

If you still have some of your natural teeth, you may be able to utilize partial dentures to replace the missing teeth. A partial denture is removable from your mouth and will have a pink, gum-coloured base that sits on your gum line where your teeth are missing. Typically, the denture has some sort of framework, typically metal, that will surround natural teeth on each side to anchor it in place.

Partial dentures are similar to bridges, but differ because a bridge is cemented into place and becomes permanent, whereas a partial denture is never cemented in place.

Complete Dentures: In Depth

Complete dentures are used when you have no natural teeth remaining in your mouth. Sometimes, patients need to have all of their teeth extracted due to tooth decay or gum disease and this leaves them without any teeth. Dentures are able to replace your natural teeth and allow you to smile confidently again.

When it comes to complete dentures, there are immediate and conventional. Conventional dentures are made to fit your mouth once your gums have completely healed, which can take up to 2 weeks after the extractions. Once your gums are healed, an impression is taken and the dentures are made.

Immediate dentures are made prior to the date of your extraction and are placed in your mouth once your teeth have been removed. It is important to keep in mind that your jaw bone and gums will shrink throughout the healing period, which means that your dentures will have to be refitted and replaced. Both conventional and immediate dentures can be removed when you want to take them out, but you must maintain them by brushing, and caring for them.