Removable Partials and Full Dentures
With full or partial dentures, you will have your smile back and will recover chewing and biting ability, providing you the possibility to enjoy foods that you may have had to avoid when you were missing teeth.
While dentures are an adequate replacement for your teeth when it comes to the appearance of your smile and your face, when it comes to function, they are a prosthetic replacement. Just like someone with a prosthetic limb may have limited functionality compared to a real limb, dentures function differently from natural teeth. The stability of dentures varies from person to person, so the variety of foods that denture-wearers are able to eat also varies. Dr. Faiella can go over what foods you should avoid or eat differently (such as cutting meats into smaller pieces for ease of chewing). Speaking while wearing dentures sometimes takes getting used to, especially when forming “s” or “th” sounds. Any speech difficulty usually passes with practice. Untreated tooth loss, whether full or partial, can affect a person’s ability to eat, which can lead to the risk of developing nutritional problems and other systemic disorders. Bite collapse can cause abnormal facial contours, leading to a decrease in the person’s self-image.
Full or partial dentures are made of a gum-colored plastic resin, that fit over the remaining alveolar (bone) ridge that formerly held the teeth. Attached to the denture base are prosthetic teeth that are designed to look and function similar to your natural teeth. They are held in place primarily by the suctioning effect of their close contact with the alveolar ridge and gums. The upper denture also gets extra support from the roof of the mouth.
Benefits of Removable Dentures and Partials
- They are one of the many options available to replace missing teeth, very often the least expensive and most conservative
- They help to support the facial skeleton and soft tissues of the lips, cheeks and face to create a more youthful appearance
- Improved ability to chew.
Limitations of Removable Dentures and Partials
- Patients will need to adapt to the denture in terms of talking and eating. Over time, the muscles, nerves, and ligaments learn function more normally with the new denture or partial
- Depending on the bone height and width, there may be insufficient support for the dentures or partials which may causes loose fit and issues when eating and speaking. In many cases, this can be improved with the use of a denture adhesive. Implants may also be considered to add additional stability.
Types of Full Removable Dentures
- Fabricated prior to removal of teeth and placed immediately after extractions are completed
- Usually a temporary option to help you transition from having teeth to a full denture
- Throughout the healing process, the bone of your jaws will change significantly may shrink, leading to a poorly fitting denture
- After complete healing, a conventional denture (see below) will be fabricated to achieve a better fit, leading to improved function, appearance and comfort
- These dentures are carefully fabricated to conform to you gums and bone with near-perfect accuracy
- The are crafted to match the appearance of your natural teeth as closely as possible, while also functioning properly in your mouth long term
- The denture is anchored to the upper or lower jaw using several implants, leading to increased stability and retention
- Many people find that this options offers a great balance of comfort, functionality, and value.
Types of Partial Dentures
- Relatively inexpensive removable plastic dentures that serve as a temporary tooth replacement or space maintainer
- Often used to replace a tooth after an extraction during the implant healing phase
- Made with either metal or acrylic, these partial dentures fabricated to replace missing teeth
- They rest on the gums and clasp remaining teeth for added support and retention
How Removable Partial and Full Dentures are Made
- The first step is to obtain an accurate impression of your alveolar ridges and remaining teeth on the top and bottom of your mouth. Dr. Faiella will take the impressions using a special tray that was fabricated in a lab, which will enable her to get as much detail as possible.
- These impressions are then sent to the lab so that the base of the denture can be made
- During the next appointment, Dr. Faiella will try in the base to be sure of an accurate fit. She will also take several records of how your jaws and remaining teeth come together. Together, you and Dr. Faiella will choose the shape and shade of the teeth that will be used to make the denture and re-create a natural looking smile.
- These records are then sent back to the lab so that the technician can create the denture or partial out of wax
- This wax denture is then tried in to assess the fit, esthetics, tooth location, and bite of the partials or dentures. If you and Dr. Faiella are both happy with the result, the wax denture will be sent back to the lab to be processed into their permanent form
- Dr. Faiella will then make any final adjustments to the denture to make sure they are both comfortable and functional. It is critical to balance your bite so that the upper and lower dentures or partials come together and properly stabilize each other. The form and function are carefully checked to ensure that they are working and fitting properly.
- You may need to come back to the office for additional adjustments as you adapt to your new denture or partial.
Dental Treatments
