Full and Partial Dentures

Denture is a removable dental appliance that serves as a replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissue. They are made to closely resemble your natural teeth and may even enhance your smile.

There are two types of dentures: complete and partial.

• Complete dentures are used when all of the teeth in either the upper or lower arch are missing.
• Partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain. They not only fill in the spaces created by missing teeth, but also prevent other teeth from shifting.

A denture may complete be either conventional or immediate.

Conventional dentures are made after the teeth have been removed and the gum tissue has healed, which usually takes four to six weeks. During this time, the patient will go without teeth.

Immediate dentures are generally the preferred treatment prescribed because they do not require our patients to ever go without teeth. Immediate dentures are made in advance and are immediately placed after the teeth are removed, thus preventing the patient from having to be without teeth during the healing process. As the tissues shrink and heal, adjustments will have to be made frequently until the healing process is complete. This can take up to three months.

Dentures are very durable appliances and will last many years, but may have to be remade, repaired or readjusted due to normal wear.

Reasons for dentures:

• Complete Denture – loss of all teeth in an arch
  • Partial Denture – loss of several teeth in an arch
  • Enhancing smile and facial tissues
  • Improving chewing, speech, and digestion