Dentures

What are Dentures?

Dentures are devices that are used as a replacement for missing teeth. The hard and soft tissues surrounding them within the oral cavity support these prosthetic devices.

Types of Dentures

There are two types of dentures that are available on the market nowadays:

Complete Dentures

This type of dentures is recommended for patients who have lost either most or all of their teeth are missing and they have to be replaced. The complete dentures usually fall under two categories:

Immediate Dentures:

They are usually made prior to the removal of the teeth, so that the patient is not toothless during the healing period. The main disadvantage of this denture is that it has to be realigned after several months due to the shrinkage of the bones and gums after the healing period. This is usually used as a temporary device.

Custom Dentures:

They are normally manufactured and used 3 to 6 months after the removal of the teeth. These are usually manufactured after

Partial dentures

This type of dentures is recommended for patients who have lost and need to replace a single tooth or a few teeth. There are different types of partial dentures available on the market. Partial dentures are usually removable, making them as an alternative for crowns and bridges. Partial dentures consist of a number of false teeth that are attached to a plastic, nylon or metal plate. They are then clasped to the patient’s natural teeth using metal clasps and placed securely inside the mouth. It is easy to unclip and the remove the partial dentures whenever needed. There are fixed bridges that provide more stability. But they are more expensive than the removable ones.

Denture Process

The process of manufacturing and fitting a denture in a patient’s mouth might take few weeks and might require a couple of appointments before a final denture is cast and adjusted.
The dentist or a dental technician will first take impressions of the patient’s mouth for making dentures that will fit in the patient’s mouth. Then the dentist might order a trial denture to be made from the dental laboratory first, which will be tried in the patient’s mouth to check the fit and appearance of the same.

Pros & Cons of Dentures

Dentures have their advantages and disadvantages of any other product

Pros

• Chewing ability is improved by replacing missed teeth.
• Improved Aesthetics.
• Improved Pronunciation.
• Cost is less compared to implants and bridges.

Cons

• An occurrence of excess salivation, sore spots and minor irritation during the initial days of the placement.
• In some cases, gagging can occur due to a denture that might be too looser or too thick or even extended far posteriorly onto the soft palate. For this, the dentist might recommend an implant-supported denture with no palate to be made. 
• Gingivitis infection under the dentures, caused by the accumulation of dental plaque.
• Loss of taste sensations.

Important Points To Consider

Care of Dentures

The dentist recommends regular maintenance and care of the dentures. This is to remove the plaque and tartar that gets build up daily. The dentures have to be cleaned daily with chemical or mechanical denture cleaners. The Dentures need not be worn all the time and can be removed during sleep.

Cost of Dentures

The cost of dentures usually vary depending on the following factors:

• Cost of dental procedures such as removing teeth or oral surgery to refine the bone.
• The complexity of the required denture.
• Materials selected for the procedure. The highly cross-linked polymer denture teeth are more expensive than conventional plastic teeth.
• Warranty offered for the dentures.

Authored By Dr Sanjay N - Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Bangalore