Dentures

Full and Partial Dentures

A denture is defined as an artificial replacement of one or several of the teeth (partial dentures) or all of the teeth (full dentures) of either or both jaws.

There are two different types–Immediate or Conventional–and they are usually made of acrylic.

Conventional Dentures

The conventional type are made for a patient’s mouth cavity after the teeth have been extracted, or removed. The gums are allowed to heal before the dentist casts a mold over them. This molding helps shape the artificial teeth so they can stay secure. Once the molding is complete, the dentures are formed around the mold and fit into the patient’s mouth.

Immediate Dentures

The immediate type, as their name implies, are given to a patient immediately after their teeth are extracted. They are molded to a patient’s oral cavity before their teeth are even removed, and the gums are allowed to heal under them. The main advantage of this type is that the patient will have teeth immediately after their surgery, instead of waiting months to receive them.

The teeth in both types are made of plastic, porcelain or a combination of both. They can be attached to dental implants so that they fit more securely. It is also possible for them to be formed to fit over priorly treated teeth.

Regular dental exams are important for someone who has received full or partial dentures so that the tissues can be checked for change and/or disease. These appliances do wear over the course of time and need to be replaced in order to keep the jaw alignment normal, which slowly changes as the gum and bone ridges shrink due to the original teeth being extracted.