Dentures
Dentures or false teeth are synthetic replacements for missing natural teeth. They are removable false teeth made out of acrylic, nylon, or metal. They fit snuggly over the gums to replace missing teeth and to eliminate potential problems caused by gaps. Gaps left by missing teeth can cause problems with eating and speech, and teeth located on either side may grow into the space at an angle. Sometimes, all the teeth need to be removed and replaced. If you’ve lost all of your natural teeth, whether from gum disease, tooth decay, or injury, replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your health. That’s because dentures make it easier to eat and speak than if you had no teeth, which is something that people take for granted. Losing all of your teeth can make your facial muscles sag which makes you look older. Dentures can help fill out the appearance of your face and profile and can be made to closely resemble your natural teeth so that your appearance doesn’t change too much. Dentures may even improve the look of your smile.
Types of Dentures
- Complete Dentures - Complete Dentures are made out of a plastic base that is colored in order to replicate gum tissue and support a full set of plastic or porcelain teeth. The traditional full denture is held in the mouth by forming a seal with the gums. They can also be held in place by attaching dental implants that are surgically placed in the bone of the jaws. This treatment is usually much more expensive than the traditional complete dentures.
- Partial Dentures - Partial dentures can either be made with a plastic base or a metal framework that supports the number of teeth that need to be replaced. It helps in the mouth by using clasps and rests that are carefully adapted around the natural teeth. The partial denture that uses a metal framework is the traditional design, due to the rigidity and strength of the metal. Plastic partial dentures have normally been used as emergency or temporary replacements of missing teeth, allowing the gums and bones to heal before a definitive restorative solution is obtained. Recently, however, various materials have been developed to provide durable and flexible alternatives in certain situations.
How Dentures Are Made
After a tooth has been extracted or lost, the tooth socket starts to fill in with bone and the gum tissue heals and changes shape. This process takes a few months until the gums and bones reach a stable shape. After this time, a conventional full denture is made, preferably about 8 to 12 weeks after the teeth were extracted or lost from the mouth. The process starts by taking a series of impressions or molds of the oral tissue that will support the dentures. A dental lab will use these impressions to make a model of the patient’s mouth. The dentist and lab technician will then start to slowly build the dentures on these models and transfer them to the patient’s mouth at each step to ensure and guarantee a proper fit, establish a proper bite, and ensure the appearance and aesthetics of the denture are desirable. The patient will generally need to be seen by the dentist at least once per week for about 4 to 5 weeks until the denture is complete. The patient will then need to return occasionally during the first month after the denture is delivered to have adjustments made.
An immediate denture can often be made so that the patient has something to wear the day that the teeth are removed. This type of denture is made before the teeth are extracted and is put in place the day the teeth are removed. Sometimes, the back teeth are taken out first and the front teeth are left in place until the day the denture is delivered. This type of denture doesn’t fit the bone and gum tissue as intimately as a conventional denture so it requires a lot more adjustments during the healing stage. An immediate denture is best used as a temporary appliance until a conventional denture can be made after all of the gum and bone healing is complete.
Dentures may feel a bit strange in the beginning, but you’ll soon get used to wearing them. At first, you will need to sleep with your dentures all the time, including while you sleep. Your dentist or clinical dental technician will advise you on whether you should remove your dentures before you go to sleep. If you remove your dentures, they should be kept moist in a water or polythene bag with dampened cotton wool in it or in a suitable overnight denture-cleaning solution. This will stop the denture material from drying out and changing shape.
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