Dentures
About Dentures
A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and the surrounding tissues. There are two types of dentures–partial and complete. Partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain, and complete dentures are used when all of the natural teeth are missing. Implants can be used to provide stability to either complete or partial dentures.
Complete Dentures
There are two types of complete dentures–”conventional” or “immediate.” A conventional denture is made for a patient who has been missing teeth for a while. The process for making a conventional denture can also begin around 6-8 weeks after tooth removal and is ready for placement 8-12 weeks after tooth removal.
Unlike conventional dentures, the process of an immediate denture begins before tooth removal and can be placed the same day teeth are removed. However, bones and gums shrink over time, especially in the first 6 months after tooth removal. Therefore, the immediate denture will have to be relined or a conventional will have to be made after around 6 months in order to improve the fit.
Partial Dentures
A removable partial denture consists of replacement teeth attached to a gum-colored plastic base, which is sometimes connected by a metal framework. Partial dentures are used when natural teeth remain in the upper or lower jaw. A partial dentures prevents the natural teeth from shifting.
Partials can be made of acrylic, a flexible material, or metal. The advantage of the acrylic and flexible partial is that they look more natural because they do not contain any metal.