Dentures
Many reasons can make one lose their natural teeth such as tooth decay, gum disease or injury. When this happens, your face can sag and make you look older. Fortunately, dentures can help fill the appearance of your face and profile.
Dentures also called false teeth are removable appliances designed for replacing missing teeth and restoring one’s smile. They’re made to closely resemble your natural teeth so that your appearance isn’t affected. Although dentures are available in several types, often they fall under two categories:
Complete Dentures
They are used when all the teeth are missing and can either be conventional or immediate. Conventional dentures can be made and placed in your mouth approximately 8-12 weeks after the remaining teeth have been removed. Immediate dentures, on the other hand, are made in advance. Therefore, they can be fixed immediately after removing the teeth. As such, one doesn’t have to be toothless during their healing period.
However, immediate dentures need several adjustments to fit correctly when you’re healing. As such, they’re considered a temporary solution while one waits for their conventional dentures to be made.
Partial Dentures
These are mostly used when one’s surrounding natural teeth are unable to support structures like dental bridges or when there’s more than one tooth missing. They’re placed to a part of the gum they’ll sit on and temporarily fastened to nearby natural teeth so that they don’t fall out of place.
They consist of replacement teeth fixed on a pink or gum-colored plastic base that’s sometimes attached to a metal framework to support the denture when it’s placed in the mouth.
Apart from filling the space created by a missing tooth, a partial denture also holds your other teeth in position. Individuals can remove these dentures since they’re not permanently fastened.
What If I Don’t Want Dentures?
Well, as much as dentures offer an excellent solution for teeth replacement, they also come with some drawbacks. For instance, complete dentures may feel very bulky. On the other hand, partial dentures may affect speech and functions since they cover a significant part of the root of your mouth.
So if you’re looking for alternatives to dentures you can consider dental implants that support cemented bridges hence eliminating the need for a denture. Sure they cost more but implants are designed to resemble and feel like real teeth hence ensuring comfort while wearing them. However, implants aren’t designed for everyone thus you should consult with your dentist first.
How Are Dentures Made?
The denture development and placement process takes several weeks. Once your dentist determines what type of dentures are suitable for you he or she will evaluate your jaws to determine how they relate to one another, their measurements and how much space is between them. After, models/wax forms or plastic patterns that are in exact shape and position of the denture to be made will be created. Then one will try this model several times. After, your dentist assesses the denture for shape, color and fit before the final denture is cast.
Final Thoughts
Well, not everyone needs dentures. Although in the past it was assumed that as we age we lose our natural teeth, things are different nowadays. With regular flossing and brushing, eating less sugary foods and regular checkups, dentures will be the last resort.
That said if you’re looking for an emergency dentist near me, look no further. Our emergency dental clinic offers all dental procedures at an affordable price. We are the most preferred 24-hour dentist with well-trained professionals. Our emergency dentist services include extraction, broken/chipped tooth repair, infections that cause pain and swelling, etc.
