Dentures may look quite similar to your natural teeth and are the exact replicas.

However, the material they are made of is comparatively softer than your enamel but still on average they can last for 5 to 7 years before you decide on replacing them.

You might also be needing to visit your dental expert for the purpose of relining every 2-3 years.

Dentures are indeed the safest and the most effective replacement for missing teeth and helps to restore your beautiful smile.

In this guide, we’ll probe into all the possible causes you’d be needing them for. We’ll also dig into the purpose they serve as well as their benefits.

So, let’s dive right into the guide!

What Are Dentures?

A denture is a replacement for your missing teeth as well as the surrounding tissue that are removable at the same time.

prosthodontist explaining dentures

The other name for dentures is false teeth. These are mostly fitted and act as a prosthesis for your missing teeth.

They are usually composed of nylon, acrylic, or metal.

They can be used for one tooth, several teeth or in some cases all of your teeth.

Moreover, they fit quite snugly over your gums.

Full Dentures that fit properly function to serve various benefits, that mostly include:

  • improving speech
  • eating capabilities
  • restoring your smile
  • boosting your self-esteem
  • helps to prevent your face from sagging over the period of time
  • offer protection to your remaining teeth as well as gums from tooth decay and gum disease

Types of Dentures

There are two main types of dentures including:

  • Complete
  • Partial

dentures types

 

Mostly, complete dentures are used in cases where all the teeth are missing.

However, partial dentures are mostly used in cases when some of the natural teeth remain.

Complete

Complete ones can either be “immediate” or “conventional”.

They are usually made after removing the teeth and especially when the gum tissue begins to heal.

A conventional denture is ready for the purpose of placement in the mouth after about eight to 12 weeks after your teeth are removed.

complete denture

Moreover, unlike the conventional dentures, the immediate ones are mostly made in advance.

These can be positioned into your mouth right after removing the teeth.

As a result of this, the wearer doesn’t have to be without teeth during the time period of healing.

However, the gums as well as the bones may start to shrink over time, mostly during the time of healing following the removal of teeth.

Partial

A removable partial bridge or the denture usually consists of replacement teeth that attach to gum-colored pink plastic base.

It is usually connected by a metal framework that helps to hold the denture in place in your oral cavity.

Partial ones are mostly used when one or more of your natural teeth remain in the lower or upper jaw.

partial dentures

Moreover, a fixed bridge helps to replace one or more teeth by placing the crowns on the teeth on either side of the existing space as well as the artificial teeth attaching to them.

This bridge is then cemented back into its place.

Not only does a partial denture fill the gaps and spaces created by missing teeth but also prevent other teeth from changing their position.

A precision partial denture is mostly removable and has an internal attachment rather than clasps that mostly attach to the adjacent crowns.

This one is comparatively a more natural-looking appliance.

Procedure of Making Dentures

The process of developing them takes several weeks as well as several appointments.

procedure of making dentures

Once your prosthodontist (a dentist whose specialization is the replacement as well as restoration of teeth) determines the type of appliance that suits you best, there are a few steps ahead which include:

  1. Making a series of impressions of your jaw and taking measurements of if your jaws relate properly to one another and how much space is there between them.
  2. Creating wax forms, models, or the plastic patterns in the exact shape as well as position of the denture that your prosthodontist is going to make. You’ll have to try in the models a number of times and the dentures are going to be assessed for their shape, color, and fit before casting the final denture.
  3. Casting the final denture
  4. Adjustments will be made as required per the case

What are the Alternatives to Dentures?

When it comes to dentures there are two other ways using which the missing teeth can be replaced. These include:

  • Implants
  • Bridges

Implants

An implant is a post made of metal that is inserted into the bone of your lower or upper jaw.

dental implant

This post is then used for the purpose of replacing a single tooth by attaching a crown to it.

It can also replace multiple teeth by attaching one bridge to multiple implants.

Implants are one of the most expensive option for the replacement of tooth.

However, implants stimulate natural teeth way better than any other option.

Bridges

A bridge help to replace the missing teeth by placing crowns on the teeth that are next to the space.

It also replaces the missing teeth by attaching a fake tooth to both the crowns.

dental bridges

Bridges are mostly made of porcelain fused to gold, plain gold, all porcelain, or zirconium.

Bridges can only replace around two or three of the missing teeth in a row. It mostly depends on the location.

Since, bridges are mostly cemented in the place, they’re often considered a permanent or fixed denture.

Benefits of Dentures

an adult senior with dentures

The false teeth are an alternative to your missing teeth that not only helps to restore your beautiful smile but comes along with several other benefits as well which mostly include:

  • They help to boost your self-esteem
  • Help to improve your smile as well as the appearance
  • Support from them can also help to improve your speech
  • They provide good support to your facial muscles
  • Most dental insurance benefit plans cover their cost
  • They can be very easily removed that allows you to clean them in a quick and thorough manner
  • Today they are designed in a manner that they feel comfortable and are functional at the same time
  • They allow you to eat food that you wouldn’t be able to enjoy with missing teeth

Are Dentures Worn Throughout the Day?

Dentures are mostly worn during the daytime and are taken out at night. The purpose is to give your oral tissues some time to relax.

dentist showing dentures to the client

However, during the first few days right after receiving the denture, you’d be needing to keep it in the oral cavity while sleeping in order to identify areas that need any sort of adjustment or where dentures may feel uncomfortable.

Moreover, this is particularly important especially after receiving an immediate denture.

This is because the gum tissues usually swell after extracting teeth and then and then wouldn’t be allowing it to reinsert.

The proper adjustment is also important as otherwise it may slip and cause speech issues as well as bad breath.

How to Clean and Take Care of Dentures?

These require great care and they should be placed in a container of water or any other denture cleaner specially when you aren’t wearing dentures.

They should never be placed in the hot water because it can lead to damage.

Moreover, you must be cleaning them daily by using a soft toothbrush with water as well as soap.

cleaning dentures

The mouth should be rinsed on a regular basis without the them being in place to clean off any sort of plaque that might be present.

This also increases the risk of infection such as candidiasis.

There are a lot and lots of different products that you can buy from the nearest medical store for cleaning purpose and taking good care of them.

You should also get a regular dental checkup.

Will it Be Difficult to Eat With New Dentures?

It will take some time as well as a little practice when you begin to eat with new dentures. They might also be uncomfortable for some wearers for a few weeks.

an old lady smiling on seeing dentures

However, once you get used to the new dentures, you can begin eating soft foods by cutting them into small pieces.

You should be chewing slowly using both sides of your buccal cavity.

Once you get used to it, start adding other foods till time you return to a normal diet routine.

Be very cautious when it comes to hot or hard foods having sharp edges.

You also need to avoid foods that are sticky such as, jellies and chewing gum, especially when you have your denture on.

Using toothpicks can also lead to damage.

Do Dentures Affect the Way You Speak?

After getting them, you may also have difficulty in the articulation of certain words.

If so, you can start off by practicing the difficult words out loud.

dentures and speech

With time and with practice, you’ll also become accustomed to speaking in a proper way with them on.

If they click when you’re talking, you would be needing to contact your dentist.

There are chances of dentures slipping occasionally when you cough, laugh, or even smile.

You can reposition them by gently swallowing and biting down.

Moreover, if still any articulatory problem prevails, you can consult your prosthodontist or the dentist.

This was pretty much all about the dentures. We’ve tried to cover all the details about dentures starting from the purpose to the aftercare.

Moreover, we ensure to develop individualized plans for each client based on their needs and ensure to use latest equipment as well as technology.

To know more about the services we are providing, do check our service page covering all the details about dentures as well their effectiveness.

At our center, we also offer the finest services of implants as well as crowns. Call at our official number to book your appointment today.

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