What Are Dentures?
Dentures are false teeth, typically made of acrylic resin or metal framework. They replace missing teeth, restore an aesthetically pleasing smile, and improve eating ability. The process of obtaining dentures generally involves taking an impression of the patient’s mouth, creating a model, and designing the denture to fit the individual’s needs. Dentures come in two types: complete and partial. Full dentures are used when all teeth are missing, and partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain.
Complete dentures can be either conventional or immediate. Traditional dentures take several weeks to make because they require several visits to the dentist while they are being processed. Immediate dentures are made in advance and inserted right after removing any remaining teeth. Both types require periodic adjustment by a professional since jawbone changes over time due to natural aging processes that can affect their fit.
Partial dentures consist of replacement teeth attached to a gum-colored plastic base connected by a metal framework that attaches to your natural teeth with metal clasps or precision attachments that look like natural teeth. Partial dentures may also be called removable bridges since they fill in the space for one or more missing teeth and act as a bridge between healthy, neighboring teeth.
