Dentures
Commonly known as false teeth or dentures, these are removable prosthetic devices produced to take the place of missing teeth. When you lose some or all of your natural teeth, whether from gum disease, tooth decay or injury, using dentures to replace your teeth will help keep facial structures from sinking in and help you maintain proper chewing functions. Dentures can be made similar to your natural teeth keeping your own esthetics or sometimes creating positive improvements to your smile. Dentures can be categorized into Complete, Partial and Implant Retained dentures.
Complete Dentures
These can be either conventional or immediate.
Immediate denture is made in advance to the teeth extraction appointment and usually inserted immediately at the time of the extractions. In your visits that are prior to your extractions, your denturist takes impressions and measurements and creates a denture that will fit your jaw. At no time will you be without teeth during your healing period. Your bones and gums will shrink the most in the first twelve months following extractions, which then permanent relines are required. Thus the advantage of immediate dentures is never being without teeth but common disadvantages include needing more frequent adjustments and often the placement of temporary linings.
Conventional dentures
Are dentures that are made when there are no teeth remaining in your mouth and gums that are usually all healed. The Bone and Ridge supporting the dentures are usually stabilized and shrinkage is less drastic. These dentures rely on stability and suction for retention, upgradable services are available to maximize this suction retention.
Partial Denture
Removable partial dentures are made up of replacement teeth that clip on the natural teeth for mechanical retention, often connected by a metal framework or just acrylic. It is used when only two or more natural teeth are remaining on either arch ( jaw ). A partial denture not only fills in the spaces created by the missing teeth, it also prevents neighboring natural teeth from migrating into those spaces. The stability of natural teeth used for retention is usually determined by dentists and a cleaning is recommended before starting.
Implant Retained Dentures
Dental implants create an anchor system that acts as roots for dentures. They are more expensive but have the closest function available to human teeth. Dentures with implants can either be removable where it can be snapped onto the implants, or it can be fixed onto the implants. Implant retained dentures involve proper treatment planning in collaboration between the denturist and dentist. Dental implant costs varies based on wants and needs of the client, that is why proper assessments and treatment planning is vital to determine what is best for you. If planning to transition from conventional dentures to implants, many people invest in the lower jaw first as lower dentures usually lack the stability and retention in comparison to the upper denture.