Dental Dentures

Dentures

The thought of getting Dentures or dealing with existing dentures can be worrisome to many patients. Often patients are under the assumption that dentures are unnatural looking, poor fitting, and obvious to others. Dentures have improved over the years with the latest technology and advancements in dentistry. The denture is no longer a cumbersome set of "false teeth", but a form fitting appliance that is as natural looking as it is functional.

Dentures can be either full or partial dentures depending on how many teeth are being replaced. Full dentures replace all of the patient's natural teeth while partial dentures replace those that are missing. The full denture is custom fabricated to fit the patient's individual mouth shape and size.

Immediate dentures are for those patients who have some teeth and are loosing them due to severe decay or severe gum disease. They are made from impressions of the patients existing teeth. They are then fabricated in the lab either to match the shape, size and color of the natural teeth or changed to a more pleasing esthetic arrangement for the best smile and function possible. The patients' teeth are then removed and the dentures are immediately placed so that the patient can begin to function and smile as soon as possible. The dentures are then lined with a soft material to improve the fit over the next 6 months as the patients bone and gums heal before a final reline is done.

Implant supported full dentures are the ideal option for those patients with no teeth. The implants help hold the denture in place and improve function 5 times or more depending on how many implants are placed. The implants also keep the bone from resorbing which is what causes the most problems with dentures over the years.

Partial dentures incorporate some false teeth among the existing healthy teeth remaining. Partials are inserted and then kept in place with metal or flexible plastic clasps. These are a less expensive option for replacing teeth to fixed bridges or implants while improving chewing and looks.