Dentures: How They Work and Choosing the Right Dentures for You

People lose teeth due to decay, periodontitis, or dental trauma. Missing teeth affect your appearance and make it difficult for you to eat or pronounce some words. Therefore, it is crucial to replace lost or extracted teeth. When you visit the dentist for teeth replacement, they may recommend getting dentures. Read to learn about partials and full dentures in Forty Fort, PA.

What Are Dentures?

They are artificial teeth and gums used to replace lost or extracted teeth. Dentures are made from porcelain or acrylic resin and can replace all or a few teeth in the mouth. Dentures enable patients to eat properly, talk with ease and keep the facial structure intact. They are held in place by suction, adhesives, metal clasps, or dental implants.

Dentures are fabricated using a mold or digital scans of your jaw at the site of the missing teeth. The cosmetic dentist near you will create dentures in the exact shape of your gums and jaws. Using them is convenient and easy. You will be uncomfortable for the first few weeks of wearing dentures. Fortunately, the discomfort eases once your tongue, gums, and cheek get used to the devices.

Types of Dentures

1. Complete/Full Dentures

Some people suffer accidents or diseases affecting all their natural teeth. Therefore, they must have an extraction. Such people can replace lost teeth using complete dentures. These dentures are designed to replace all natural teeth in the patient’s mouth.

They are placed on top of the gums and held in place by suction. Complete dentures are removable. However, they can be made relatively permanent when held in place with dental implants. These permanent dentures can and should be removed to allow the gums to rest. There are two types of complete dentures. They are conventional and immediate.

Conventional dentures are fabricated when your gum begins healing after a dental extraction. The dentist makes customized dentures based on the shape of your gums and jaws. In addition, they will make allowances for the expected gum and jawbone shrinkage. The devices are usually placed in the mouth 8-12 weeks after teeth removal.

Immediate dentures are created in advance before your extraction. Therefore, the dentist puts them in place right after the dental extraction procedure. They are great for people who do not wish to remain toothless when their hums heal. However, these dentures can only be used for a short while as more permanent dentures are being made.

2. Partial Dentures

These are dentures used by people who miss several teeth but have some natural teeth remaining. Partial dentures have a metal framework, artificial teeth, and a gum-colored base. The dentist replaces lost teeth by attaching artificial ones with a dental crown over the remaining natural teeth. Then, they use dental cement to keep them firm when eating or speaking.

Removable partial dentures are not cemented into place. Instead, they are kept in position by anchors on existing teeth or dental implants. In addition, they contain attachments that help the artificial teeth to snap unto the implants or receptors. Therefore, they are referred to as snap-on dentures. This makes them easily removable and convenient.

3. Implant Retained Dentures

These are dentures held in place using dental implants. First, the dentist will place implants into your jawbone. After they fuse with the jawbone, the dentist will attach custom-made dentures to the implants. They can be removed for cleaning or when resting.

Choosing the Right Dentures

Picking a suitable set of partials and full dentures in Forty Fort, PA, is easy if you follow the steps below.

1. Learn about the different denture types to understand how they replace teeth. Get information about full, partial, snap-on, implant retained, and other types of dentures.
2. Evaluate your oral health needs and preferences. This helps you narrow down your denture choices. For example, if you want a few teeth replaced, you will need partial dentures. Additionally, immediate dentures will suit you if you do not wish to remain toothless after extraction.
3. Consult a dentist in Forty Fort, PA experienced in customizing and placing dentures. This expert will examine your mouth. Also, they will consider your lifestyle and budget before making your dentures. They will then choose dentures that complement your face and restore dental function and smile. If you are looking for such a dentist, contact us at NEPA Dental West.