Dentures

Natural-Looking Dentures for a Perfect Smile

Dentures are removable replacements for missing teeth. They are made of acrylic resin and may incorporate porcelain or metal for additional structural support. There are two main types of dentures, complete and partial.

Complete dentures and partial dentures are finely crafted and custom-fitted to the patient. Dentures can appear natural and provide a perfect smile. Dentures also help strengthen muscles controlling your facial expressions and help correct pronunciation problems caused by missing teeth.

Patients who want their dentures to look similar to their natural teeth or achieve a desired shade of tooth color may want to consider custom-designed dentures. You may also want to consider implant retained dentures.

Dentures may require that some teeth be extracted to improve their fit and functionality.

There are several types of dentures:

Complete Dentures

• Complete dentures are replacements for all of your teeth, upper and lower. Their comfort depends on muscles, bones, tongue, and saliva. If teeth were extracted first, patients begin wearing conventional dentures after healing the gums. The advantage of waiting six to eight weeks after healing is that the dentures will not require a reline or a remake due to swelling and bone absorption. These advantages allow for a lower fee than that charged for immediate dentures.

Immediate Dentures

• Immediate dentures are placed simultaneously when teeth are extracted and may require additional adjustments after healing. It can take months for your bone and tissue to stabilize after tooth extractions. Because shrinkage from bone loss is unpredictable and varies for individuals, patients are usually charged for any laboratory relines or remakes.

Upper Denture

• Upper dentures tend to be a bit easier to adjust to. These are made of the same materials as a complete denture but are designed to provide you with upper teeth only.

Over-Denture

• Overdentures are a type of conventional denture similar to complete dentures. The difference is that not all teeth are extracted, and one or more natural teeth are used for support. This type of denture provides greater stabilization during chewing. Over dentures cost more and typically require more dentist appointments for preparation until the procedure is complete.

Partial Denture

• Partial dentures are designed to correct the gaps in your smile when only some of your teeth are missing. Metal attachments anchor the dentures to your natural teeth. Partial dentures, called Removable Bridges, maintain tooth alignment by preventing your remaining teeth from shifting. Patients may want to consider a Fixed Dental Bridge, which is not removable. Partial dentures can also help prevent the loss of more teeth due to decay or gum disease.

How long does it take for new dentures?

The procedure varies greatly based on the extent of preparation required and the patient’s health, how many extractions are required, and whether or not implants are to be used for implant-retained dentures. The entire process can take several weeks.

Immediate dentures can be created in a lab in about a week. and placed in a day. Dr. Garelick will help you decide which denture system is the most appropriate for you and estimate how long the procedure will take.