As an alternative to bridges and implants, dentures can be used to replace several missing teeth. It is possible to get either full, or partial dentures. Full dentures remain in place by form fitting to the gum ridges. Partial dentures often have additional ridges that fit around the natural teeth helping them stay in place.

It can take several visits to our dental specialist in order to be properly fit with a denture. Our dentist will take several impressions of the gums, and send these to our technicians. They uses these impressions to construct your new dentures. On the next appointment, you and our dentist will check the dentures to ensure that your bit is correct and that the dentures meet your approval. 

Considerations One of the significant disadvantages of dentures is resorption of the underlying bone. The bone is normally maintained by the stresses of chewing. When the teeth have been removed, the bone is no longer subject to the same stress, and therefore begins to atrophy. The use of dental implants instead of dentures maintains the same kinds of stress on the underlying bone and prevents bone resorption.




Types of Dentures
Complete or full dentures replace all the teeth in the upper or lower jaw. A denture helps you to properly chew food, a difficult task when you are missing teeth. In addition, a denture may improve speech and prevent a sagging face by providing support for lips and cheeks.

Overdenture is a denture that uses precision dental attachments to hold the denture down. The overdenture attachment can be placed in tooth roots that have been saved, or placed into dental implants which have been placed to receive them.


Immediate denture is constructed before teeth are removed so that you will not be without any teeth. Constructing immediate dentures involves taking impressions (making copies) of your mouth before the teeth are removed. When your remaining teeth are removed the denture can be inserted immediately. 



Partial denture is a removable dental appliance that replaces multiple missing teeth. It can be attached to the teeth with clasps (clasp or conventional partial) or it can be attached to the teeth with crowns with precision attachments (hidden clasps). Both types have a metal framework and plastic teeth and gum areas.

 

Repairing your Dentures
If your partial denture breaks, cracks or chips, or if a denture tooth becomes loose, contact our clinics immediately. Do not try to fix it yourself. However, our dentist can usually repair a broken denture, often on the same day.

It is especially important to see our dentist if your partial denture breaks while you are eating. This sometimes indicates that there has been a change in the fit of the dentures because the underlying tissue has changed. When our dentist repairs your denture, he or she will also examine your mouth and check whether your partial denture needs adjustment.