Missing teeth can be replaced with a set of dentures that can be easily removed at any time. Dentures can help improve speech, eating and also improve the appearance of your smile. This restores the patient’s smile and full use of their teeth. These prosthetic devices are made of acrylic and are designed to fit snugly over your gums.
There are two types of dentures: partial and complete dentures. Partial dentures are used when you have lost some of your teeth but you still have other healthy teeth intact. A partial denture fills in the teeth that are missing and prevents the other teeth from shifting. Patients that have total loss will want to get complete dentures. Moreover, there are two types of complete dentures: immediate and conventional. Immediate dentures are made months in advance and are placed above the gums straight after the teeth have been removed. This is advantageous as patients do not have to go for a period without teeth. However, the healing and shrink process of the gum tissue will take considerably longer and adjustment will thus have to be made later. On the other hand, conventional dentures are inserted 4-6 weeks after teeth are removed allowing the gum tissue to partially heal.
The dentist will explain the best ways to clean the dentures, using specialised brushes and effervescent denture cleaner.