Dentures, sometimes referred to as “plates”, are considered removable prostheses because you can take them in and out of your mouth. They are used to replace missing teeth as a permanent solution and sometimes as a temporary solution when implants are being placed.
Partial dentures replace one or a few missing teeth, whereas a full denture replaces a whole arch when all teeth are missing. Partial dentures use a metal or acrylic base that the artificial teeth are attached to. Partial dentures have clasps and connectors that hold it securely to remaining natural teeth.
Sometimes the adjacent teeth where the partial denture fits will need surveyed crowns to allow for the proper retention of the partial denture. Other times, modification to the remaining natural teeth is all that needs to be done to ensure a proper fit of the partial denture.
Full (complete) dentures are used when all natural teeth are removed. Sometimes you may have top and bottom full dentures or you can have a combination of upper full denture and lower partial denture or vice versa.
Full dentures have no remaining teeth to help retain the prosthesis and rely on the gum tissue and bone structure to support the fit. Saliva helps create a seal between the full denture and your tissue to keep the denture in place. Sometimes when this is not adequate, denture adhesives are used to create that seal and hold the full denture in place.
Immediate dentures are when the denture is constructed before the removal of all your teeth, then on the day of your surgery, all teeth are removed and the immediate denture is placed. After the healing phase, immediate dentures generally begin to become ill fitting. When the denture becomes “loose”, a denture reline is used to secure the fit.
Denture relines are needed over time when dentures do not fit and begin to slip. Tissue and bone changes happen over time causing the denture to not fit well any longer, which can lead to denture sore spots. One solution is to reline the inside of the denture so it has full contact with your soft tissue again to help create the seal needed to retain the full denture. There are soft and hard denture reline options.
Denture sore spots can occur when an ill-fitting denture rubs on the soft tissue causing a sore spot. Also, an improperly cleaned denture accumulates bacteria and fungi causing the tissue to become inflamed and bad breath to occur. It is vitally important to keep dentures very clean. There are many denture-cleansing products on the market today.
Implants can be used to allow dentures to have more retention. We can custom fit your dentures and create a smile design especially for you. This includes screw-retained bars, allowing ill-fitting dentures, to have a much more natural feel. Consult with our experienced dentists about your options for dentures.