Dentures

Question: What are the different types of dentures?

Answer: There are three main types of dentures: complete, partial, and overdentures. Dentures are artificial replacements for your natural teeth, they replace missing or unhealthy teeth. Dentures will restore your smile, self esteem and return some of your ability to chew.
Dentures can replace all of your teeth or they can replace a few missing ones. Complete dentures are usually made of an acrylic resin, while partial dentures are made from a combination of acrylic resin and metal.

Types of dentures
The type of denture you will need is based on how many remaining natural teeth you have and your individual need.

Complete dentures cover your entire jaw and can replace your upper or lower teeth, they consist of artificial teeth and gums, they are custom made and fit closely on your natural bony ridges so that they will not dislodge easily.

Partial dentures fit around your remaining, healthy teeth. Partial dentures usually have artificial teeth and gum, connected by a metal framework. Partial dentures are usually held in place by clasps that attach to your natural teeth.

Overdentures fit over a few remaining teeth or dental implants. The few remaining teeth or implants give the denture stability to minimize the denture shifting in your mouth. To accommodate an overdenture the teeth have to be reshaped or the implants have to be strategically placed prior to denture fabrication.

Immediate dentures can be either complete or partial, they are usually fabricated by the dentist before the teeth are removed. On the day that the teeth are removed, the dentures are inserted, usually they need to be relined (adjusted) by the dentist over the next few months, because the gums shrink as the extraction sites heal and the immediate dentures will become loose.

Recommendation:
With modern dental techniques dentures can be made to look more natural and fit more comfortable than years ago. The metal clasps once used are now been replace by material that closely mimics the color of the gums. Dental implants have also revolutionize the way missing teeth are replaced, these are artificial roots made of titanium that are surgically implanted in the jaw bone, they are allowed to heal for 4-6 months then they are restored with crowns.

The trend in dentistry today is to try and prevent unnecessary extractions thus techniques such as root canals, crown lengthening, post/ core and crowns are usually recommended with extractions been the last resort. However if extractions are unavoidable then dental implants are the closest thing to natural teeth and give much more chewing power than dentures.

With the many types of teeth replacement available today it is amazing that many people are walking around with their mouth filled with rotted teeth. Recent cardiac studies have shown a close link between the bacteria that cause gum disease and those found in certain types of cardiac diseases, thus taking care of your teeth may eventually allow you to live a longer and healthier live..