A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and adjacent tissues. It is made of acrylic resin, sometimes in combination with various metals. There are many different designs and materials available to suit individual needs.
Complete dentures replace all the missing teeth, while a partial denture replaced only missing teeth and stabilizes your bite so your remaining natural teeth don’t shift or drift due to spaces created after the teeth were lost.
Candidates for complete dentures have lost all of their teeth or whatever remaining teeth they have are not healthy enough to retain thus they too need to be removed and complete dentures made.
Along with getting complete dentures minimum of two mandibular implants are highly recommended to help keep the lower denture stable in place to improve quality of life this type of denture is called an Overdenture.
If you have some natural teeth remaining which are stable free of disease and infection then it is best to continue to maintain your natural teeth for as long as possible and have partial dentures made to help fill the missing gaps and stabilize the natural teeth remaining.
In many cases a combination treatment is done with complete and partial dentures.
In some cases when the patient wants to have replacement dentures right away after removal of remaining teeth we fabricate what’s called “immediate” dentures. These set of dentures are made before teeth are removed and inserted right after the teeth are extracted so the patient does not walk around without any teeth while healing is taking place after the teeth were extracted. In 6 months when all the healing has taken place the patient can either have the existing dentures relined to improve the fit to a degree or new conventional pair of dentures made to fit the newly healed jaw bone architecture and improve aesthetics.
Removable partial dentures used remaining teeth as anchors to stay in place. They come in variety different materials and range price. Convention partial dentures were made using combination of pink acrylic to match your gums and metal to give it strength along with metal hooks that often look anesthetic especially in the front areas of the mouth, today you can choose rom partial dentures made entirely of resin material with no metal and hooks that are made same color as teeth to help make the partial denture seamless.
The denture process takes about one and a half months and five appointments: the initial diagnosis is made and treatment planned completed after patient makes an informed and educated decision as to which denture will best suit their needs. Then an impression and a wax bite are made to determine vertical dimensions and proper jaw position; a “try-in” is placed to assure proper color, shape and fit; and the patient`s final denture is placed, following any minor adjustments. The reason it takes all that time to make is because after each step the denture is sent back to the lab and technician need time to work on them then return your case to us to continue with the above mentioned steps.
For the first few weeks, a new denture may feel awkward or bulky. However, your mouth will eventually become accustomed to wearing it. Inserting and removing the denture will require some practice. Your denture should easily fit into place. Never force the partial denture into position by biting down. This could bend or break the clasps.
The most important part is to be patient and allow your mouth to get used to the dentures by wearing them as much as possible to help identify some of the areas that may cause sore spots which can be easily adjusted during your subsequent visits until you no longer have any sore areas. If the denture puts too much pressure on a particular area, that spot will become sore. Your denture can be adjusted to fit more comfortably. After making adjustments, it will be best to remove the dentures during night to allow the tissues of the mouth to rest and breath in order to place them back in the morning.
Start out by eating soft foods that are cut into small pieces remember it is a brand new device in your mouth and your mouth needs time to get used to them. You should try to chew on both sides to maintain even pressure on the dentures and prevent them from dislodging. Avoid hard sticky foods. Lozenges help you get used to the dentures by creating suction.
It is important to care for your dentures and reduce chances of accidental droppings that may result in broken or fractured dentures. Brush the denture daily using a denture brush to remove food deposits and plaque, and keep it from becoming permanently stained. Do not use a brush with hard bristles or toothpaste as abrasive particles create scratched and wear away denture material creating space for bacterial growth. Use denture cleaners with ADA seal of acceptance for best results. If your have partial dentures special care must be used to help keep remaining natural teeth clean free of decay as those teeth serve as anchors for your new partial. Hand soap or mild dishwashing liquid to clean dentures is also acceptable. At night, the denture should be placed in soaking solution or water in order to help maintain its original shape and fit.
Even with no teeth remaining you should continue to clean your gums and tongue using soft-bristled brush and alcohol free mouth rinses. Well balanced diet it also crucial for overall health of your body and mouth.
If your denture no longer fits properly, if it breaks, cracks or chips, or if one of the teeth becomes loose, see your dentist immediately to make necessary adjustments or repairs, either chair-side on the same day or sent to our professional lab for more complicated repairs.
Over time, dentures will need to be relined, re-based, or re-made due to normal wear. Dentures may need to be replaced if they become loose and the teeth show signs of significant wear.
First think you will notice after getting your dentures is the difference in your speech and difficulty pronouncing certain words. Do not worry it all takes time to get used. Your tongue is a very large and strong muscle and it needs to get used to having less space now that you have dentures. Speaking out loud and reading out loud help you get back to normal in 1-2 weeks time. You may find that your dentures occasionally slip when you laugh, cough or smile. Reposition the dentures by gently biting down and swallowing.
Denture adhesives can provide additional retention and security for well-fitting dentures.
IDEAL SMILE DENTAL Dentist in Exton, Pennsylvania
356 N. Pottstown Pike, Exton, PA, 19341
(484) 872-8101