Dentures

If you have any concerns regarding full dentures and partial dentures, please phone us to make an appointment. We are happy to discuss with you the many dental options available. Dentures (false teeth) are artificial teeth constructed to replace missing teeth. Standard dentures are removable, however there are many different denture designs. There are two main categories of dentures, depending on whether they are used to replace missing teeth on the lower arch (jaw) or upper arch.

There is a misconception that dentures is limited to “old people”. Loss of teeth can occur at any age and there are many reasons why this can happen. The most frequent being because of dental disease, mainly relating to periodontal disease and tooth decay.

Advanced dental materials create dentures that are more comfortable, more durable and fit better than your parents and grandparents ever imagined.

But perhaps the greatest progress in modern denture science is the technology to recreate better natural-looking smiles.

ADVANTAGES:

• Artificial denture teeth are designed to have the look and feel of natural teeth.
• Each tooth can be positioned individually and “naturally” to give dentures a more realistic appearance.
• The 21st century offers a much more natural choice of colours for artificial gums and teeth.
• New processing methods ensure the best possible fit, function and comfort.
• The leading manufacturers are continuously introducing new and exciting products to the marketplace.

Dentures can help patients in a number of ways:

• Mastication – Chewing ability is improved
• Aesthetics – The presence of teeth provide a natural facial appearance, and wearing a denture to replace missing teeth provides support for the lips and cheeks, and corrects the collapsed appearance that occurs after losing teeth
• Phonetics – By replacing missing teeth, patients are able to speak better by improving pronunciation
• Self-Esteem – Patients feel better about themselves

TYPES OF DENTURES

Removable Partial Dentures:
Removable partial dentures are for patients who are missing some of their teeth on a particular arch. Fixed partial dentures, are also known as “crown and bridge”, are made from crowns that are fitted onto the remaining teeth to act as abutments and pontics made from materials to resemble the missing teeth. Fixed bridges are more expensive than removable appliances but are more stable.

Complete Dentures:
Conversely, complete dentures or full dentures are worn by patients who are missing all of the teeth in a single arch (i.e. the maxillary (upper) or mandibular (lower) arch).

Course of Treatment:
There are several options available. This is determined by the patients existing condition, such as how long they have been without natural teeth and how much of their existing bone has resorbed (melted away) and what they want to achieve for their dental health.

Here is an example video of how dentures are constructed: