DENTURES

A removable denture can restore missing teeth and supporting tissues. Complete and partial dentures are the two types of dentures that are offered. When all of the teeth are lost, complete dentures are utilized; when some natural teeth are still present, partial dentures are.

Complete dentures

Constructed after the teeth have been extracted and the gum tissue has started to heal, a typical denture is prepared for insertion in the mouth eight to twelve weeks after the teeth have been extracted.

Immediate dentures, in contrast to traditional dentures, are prepared beforehand and can be put in place as soon as the teeth are extracted. The wearer need not go without teeth during the healing process as a result. However, over time, particularly during the recovery phase after tooth removal, bones and gums atrophy. Therefore, compared to conventional dentures, immediate dentures have the drawback of requiring more alterations to fit comfortably during the healing process and, in general, should only be used as a temporary fix until conventional dentures can be constructed.

Partial dentures

Replacement teeth are typically fastened to a pink or gum-colored plastic foundation in a detachable partial denture or bridge. Occasionally, a metal framework maintains the denture in place in the mouth. When one or more natural teeth are still present in the upper jaw or lower jaw, partial dentures are used. By crowning the teeth on either side of the gap and affixing prosthetic teeth to them, a fixed bridge replaces one or more missing teeth. The "bridge" is then affixed with cement. A partial denture not only covers the holes left by lost teeth, but also keeps other teeth from shifting position. A precision partial denture includes internal attachments rather than clasps that fasten to the neighboring crowns and is detachable.