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Dentures are artificial porcelain teeth attached to a gum-colored base made of acrylic resin, metal, or other materials. Dentures can replace a few missing teeth or an entire set of teeth in the mouth, restoring the appearance, structure, and functionality of your bite.
Most people will lose at least one permanent tooth in their life. It’s important to have missing teeth replaced so you don’t suffer from the consequences of bone loss, such as shifting teeth, facial sagging, changes in your bite, and difficulty chewing or speaking.
As you lose teeth, your risk of losing more increases. Once you’ve lost a few teeth, a denture is a great way to restore your smile and tooth functionality while mitigating the effects of bone loss.
Partial dentures (partials) are a removable version of a fixed dental bridge. They use the surrounding healthy teeth in the mouth to support artificial teeth that fill in gaps and restore tooth function. A partial bridge is used to replace a few missing teeth by placing a plate in the mouth that attaches to metal clasps placed around your natural teeth.
A partial denture will be recommended if you have a few missing teeth on either side of the mouth, as bridges can only replace consecutive missing teeth on one side of the mouth. A partial denture is made of a pink acrylic base that is connected to a metal wire framework.
Full dentures are, as the name suggests, an option for replacing a full set of missing teeth. A full denture replaces all of the teeth in a single arch or both arches of teeth, requiring the extraction of all remaining natural teeth in the mouth.
This is why full dentures are only recommended for patients with significant tooth loss and only have a few remaining natural teeth. They are held in place through a seal at the gums formed through suction.
You’ll first need to come into the dental office for a consultation with Dr. Julia Winter. She’ll examine your teeth to determine if you’re a good candidate for partial or full dentures. Any active tooth decay or gum disease will need to be treated before you can receive dentures.
Partial Dentures - Any necessary dental cleanings or fillings will need to be performed first.
Then, we will take digital or physical impressions of your teeth and send them to a dental lab to create your denture. We’ll then take a jaw record to take note of how your bite fits together.
At a separate appointment, you will have a denture try-in where you will test how the mock dentures will fit, feel, and look in your mouth.
You’ll be able to tell us if they feel uncomfortable or off in any way so we can adjust them accordingly. There may be multiple trial fittings before getting it right, but it’s worth it for a perfect fit. Once all adjustments have been made and the fit is just right, we will schedule your final denture placement.
Full Dentures - When it comes to full dentures, we first need to extract any of your remaining natural teeth, and your gums need to fully heal before any fittings can take place. It will take about 8-12 weeks of healing but we will place an immediate temporary denture in the meantime to restore your smile and bite.
Impressions are taken of your gums and sent to a dental lab. After your gums have healed, we will remove the immediate denture and will record the jaw relationship to see how your upper and lower jaws fit together by using a rim of wax along with a temporary denture.
You’ll then have another fitting where final adjustments can be made before sending you home with your brand new smile.
Dentures help fill in gaps, make it easier to speak and chew your food, and provide support for your facial muscles to prevent facial sagging and shifting teeth. The removability of dentures makes them easy to clean.
Dentures are an excellent option for patients who are not good candidates for dental implants or bridges whether it be because they have poor jaw bone density or too many missing teeth. Because we construct your dentures based on impressions and measurements of how your jaw fits together, they should fit comfortably and securely.
Whether you’re missing a few or a significant amount of teeth, dentures can make your life easier and improve your smile. Contact us at Kite & Key Dentistry today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Julia Winter.
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