Everything About Dentures Explained

Dentures are artificial replacements for teeth which you have lost, and they are literally conformed to your mouth, so they can be as close as possible to the natural features of your mouth. Dentures can either be partial or a full set, which means they can either replace all the teeth on your top or bottom, or they can just replace several which are missing. Regardless of the type of dentures you need, they will always be custom-designed to make the best fit for your mouth, and they will also generally be matched in color and shade to the rest of your existing teeth.

In the past, dentures were primarily made of plastic or porcelain, but nowadays dentures are much more likely to be made from a hard resin. No matter what your dentures are made of, it will be a substance that is not nearly as hard as your original teeth were, and that means they can be chipped or cracked if you should drop them.

Regardless of the substance they're made from, your dentures will wear down much more quickly than your natural teeth would have, so they will need to be replaced usually every five years or so. The oral structure which supports dentures and holds the artificial teeth in place looks very much like your natural gum line and is made out of the same kind of resin used for your artificial teeth, or sometimes a flexible polymer material which adapts itself snugly to your natural gum line.

There are several types of it dentures you may have need of in your particular situation. A conventional full denture will be designed to custom fit over all the remaining teeth you have, and these can generally be installed between eight and 12 weeks after any tooth extractions have been made. Once the healing process is complete, your dentist can start taking impressions to get the procedure underway.

An immediate full denture is also called a same-day denture, and this alternative option is designed to be installed on the same day as your  tooth extraction. Many people favor immediate full dentures because they eliminate the waiting time after extraction, and they can actually help expedite healing by protecting oral tissues and gums.

Partial dentures are used by those individuals who only have a few teeth missing, and these are made from a combination of acrylic and metal. They will generally attach to your natural teeth, but they're different than a dental bridge because they're removable. Implant-supported dentures are an option which is more expensive than conventional dentures, but they have the appeal of anchoring your dentures solidly in your mouth, so that there is no slippage, and so you can eat and speak freely.