Dentures are used to replace surrounding tissues and missing teeth in your mouth. There are two different types of dentures available – partial and complete. Partial dentures are used when there are still several of the patient’s original teeth remaining and complete dentures are used when the patient has no teeth remaining.
Complete or full Dentures
When talking about complete dentures or full dentures, there are 2 types- conventional or immediate. Immediate dentures are created ahead of time and be placed in the patient’s mouth whenever their old teeth are removed. Disadvantages of having immediate dentures is that as your gums begin to heal there will be some shrinkage which cause the dentures to not fit as securely as they did initially. If conventional dentures are being made they are usually placed in the patient’s mouth about eight weeks after the patient’s teeth have been removed. For most patients, immediate dentures should only be used as a temporary fix until they are able to receive their conventional dentures.
Complete dentures, also referred to as full dentures are worn by individuals when all of their natural teeth are missing. There are many reasons why someone may need complete dentures. Sometimes tooth decay or malnutrition results in teeth needing to be removed, other times, a car accident or work related injury can result in someone needing dentures. Regardless of the reason, complete dentures are an ideal way to be able to continue such daily functions as eating,speaking and smiling.
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures are typically used by those to replace teeth that are missing most commonly due to a jaw related accident, tooth decay, or malnutrition. Having gaps in the teeth can result in food and bacteria forming in the empty spaces. Partial dentures are useful for filling these in, thus preventing tooth and gum decay. In addition to this, partial dentures are useful for hiding prominent tooth gaps, such as the ones in the front of the mouth.
There are many different types of partial dentures to choose from, depending on your unique situation. If you only have a few missing teeth, a removable partial denture may be the best fit for you. These are dentures crafted to fit over your remaining teeth. The false teeth included are designed to go in the gaps between. These can be crafted as a bridge that goes across the roof of your mouth, or it can be fitted to attach to your back teeth to replace any teeth you would normally use for chewing.
Permanent partial dentures are those that are attached to the teeth through different means. In most cases these include a metal or plastic clasp that fits snugly against your remaining teeth. In other cases, permanent partials are attached to the bone beneath via implants.