Dentures

Currently, two types of dentures exist:

Conventional Full Dentures – These are used when all of a patient’s teeth are removed. The tissue is given adequate time to heal prior to the dentures being placed. This could take several months for the gum tissue to fully heal. Throughout this entire period of time, you will be without teeth.

Immediate Full Dentures – Before your teeth would be removed, your dentist will make measurements to have dentures fitted for your mouth. After your teeth are removed, dentures are placed in your mouth immediately. You will not have to spend any amount of time without teeth in this case. A follow up appointment will be needed to refit your dentures. This is because your jaw bone slightly changes shape as your mouth heals. Your dentures will be tightened to better fit in your mouth once your jaw bone has healed.

Partial dentures are used in case when not all of your teeth need to be removed. Partial dentures are similar to a bridge, but are not a permanent part of your mouth.

The base of the dentures is flesh colored and is placed over your gums. At times, people feel that dentures are bulky, or that their tongue doesn’t have enough room in the mouth. Others say that their dentures feel loose. Dentures will affect the way you speak and eat for a period of time. As time progresses, your mouth becomes used to eating and speaking with dentures in. Eventually, they will feel more like your natural teeth. It is possible that they don’t feel perfectly comfortable, but are not a bad option given that the alternative is not having any teeth.

Dentures should be cared for as if they were real teeth. Brushing them to remove plaque and food particles is necessary. Once you remove your dentures from your mouth, they should be put in room temperature water or a denture cleaning solution. Refrain from using water, as this could possibly warp the dentures. Dentures tend to be delicate, so handle them with care and avoid dropping them. You should also avoid adjusting your dentures yourself, as this could ruin them. Always contact your dentist should they feel loose or uncomfortable.