What are dentures?

Dentures are an apparatus that is used to restore teeth which are lost or extratcted due to various reasons. Many people loose teeth because of a variety of reason, prime among them is the lack of dental hygiene habits.  Other reasons include loss of teeth because of facial impact due to accidents, and other physiological and medicinal necessities.

As is well know teeth are one of the vital parts of the body which work 24x7x365.  It is very important to have proper teeth to survive.

Teeth are important not only for food intake, but also for speaking and talking. Teeth are also an important part of our appearance and therefore vital for good social relationships. The teeth allows us to smile and also gives a proper structure and contour for the face. If teeth are lost, the bone structure will slowly recede and your face will look limp.

Dentures are of a great help to solve all these problems that are brought about by missing teeth.

 The benefits of dentures

• Confidence building

Your smile is the first thing that people notice about you. Without a proper smile, your confidence level takes a dip and in turn it affects your social life. With dentures all these can be countered. Dentures can give you your smile back and in most cases it even gives you a better smile than you had with your original teeth.

• Teeth restoration expenses can be controlled

The dentures also prove to be lighter on your pocket. They are available in various types and can be made according to your needs. There are full dentures which can be used when all the teeth are lost, and there are  also partial dentures which can be ordered when some of the teeth are missing. That is why it is very cost effective.

• Enhanced quality of living

Because of missing teeth, the daily chores of chewing and talking become difficult. It may also cause frustrations because the little things like chewing and biting and talking are so taken for granted that when these things requires a lot of effort on your part, it can really bring your down. Dentures will help you with normal chewing and help in talking as well, which will take away the small annoyances from your life, making a way for a better adjustments within your environment

• Long lasting

Although not very expensive, your dentures will last for a long time before the need arises to change them. That is why dentures are a convenient way of replacing your lost teeth.

 Types of dentures

There are number of types of dentures to choose from which are used for different purposes by different individuals.

There are mainly two types of dentures: traditional Complete dentures, and partial dentures.

1. Complete full dentures

Complete full dentures are ordered for people who have lost all the teeth and the dentures replace all the teeth in the mouth of a patient. These dentures are made to be fitted on top of the gums. Complete dentures are ordered within weeks of extraction of the last tooth and are fitted in eight to twelve weeks after the teeth have been removed.

Partial dentures are used when some of the teeth are lost and the patient still has some of the teeth that remain in good condition. Many times a patient comes with teeth that has decayed

2. Partial dentures

When a patient has some natural teeth left, like a few molars in the upper jaw and some in the lower jaw, when chewing becomes difficult, the dentist will advise to go for partial dentures. The partial dentures are made with a pink plastic base attached to a metal piece. The denture is held in place by these two pieces. These dentures are very convenient and  you can remove them whenever you want. Partial dentures keep the other natural teeth in place, not allowing them to shift or move.

3. Custom made dentures

Custom made dentures look more natural because they are made from expensive ceramic or porcelain material.

4. Immediate dentures

These dentures are made quickly and are put in place immediately after the natural teeth are removed. There are a few observations  like you should not have other cavities and also the dentist should have taken proper measurements so that they can be made and worn on the same day as the teeth get extracted.

5. Implant supported dentures

A dental implant is used to support the denture which will provide a good support to the dentures when they sit on the implant securely. These implants are longer lasting than other types of dentures.

6. Snap in dentures

These are very stable dentures because either they are supported by dental implants or they are anchored to existing teeth. The unique feature of this dentures is that they are fitted with locator attachments and they snap onto the locator receptors. It makes them very convenient to put on and remove whenever the need arises. These can be used only when the patient has enough bone structure left to support the implant.

7. Over dentures

An overdenture also sits on the gums with dental implants. It is removable and is convenient. Upper dentures

As the name suggests these are fitted on the upper jaw as a replacement for upper teeth.

8. Economy dentures

These are generic dentures which are very cost effective. But they do not give the best of comfort and appearance.

9. Fixed bridge

A fixed bridge is used to restore lost teeth by cementing a crown with the help of surgery with the remaining natural teeth on each side. These bridges are little more expensive than removable dentures.

10. Cantilever bridge

When there are other teeth only on one side of missing teeth, cantilever bridge can be used. One or more teeth are used on the other side to support the bridge.