Missing teeth can create a
variety of problems. First, they ruin your smile and personality. Second, they
significantly decrease your ability to eat and speak. Therefore, it’s essential
that you get your missing teeth replaced immediately. Now, if you are looking
for a reliable and cost-effective option for repairing
your missing teeth, then dentures can help you get back your smile and the
ability to speak and eat. Here’s everything you need to know about getting your
teeth replaced with dentures.
What are Dentures?
A Denture is a removable
appliance that is used for replacing one
or more missing teeth. It rests on the oral soft tissues and gains its support
from the underlying jaw bone and existing teeth. They are made from metal alloys or gum-colored acrylic resins.
What are Different Types of Removable Dentures?
- Partial
Dentures – these dentures are used
for replacing one or more missing teeth. Partial dentures contain metallic
extensions, the clasps, which encircle the natural teeth which are present
around the missing tooth gap. - Complete
Dentures – these dentures are used
when there is no natural tooth remaining in the oral cavity. These dentures
only rely on the jaw bone and the overlying soft tissues for their retention and
support. Therefore, they are carefully designed
so that their inner surface exactly matches the contour of the jaw bone for
maximum fit and retention. - Implant-supported
Dentures – unlike the conventional dentures which rely on teeth or the jaw
bone for attachment, these dentures are supported by dental implants.
Generally, a single implant can be used
for replacing up to three or four teeth.
How are Dentures Prepared?
Preparation of removable dentures
requires excellent skills and great
attention to detail. The preparation process usually requires 2-3 sittings.
Here are the steps involved in fabricating dentures:
- Consultation
and Treatment Planning – In the first appointment, doctors perform a
detailed examination of your teeth and the jaw bones. Then will also examine
tooth models and x-ray images of your teeth to prepare a treatment plan
customized according to your dental needs. - Pre-prosthetic
Treatment – Before proceeding with the denture fabrication, we first
restore your existing teeth with dental fillings or remove any teeth which
cannot be saved, if required. Also, in the
case of senior citizens, sometimes
special procedures need to be performed before the dentures can be made.- Bone
Augmentation – For seniors, there is a significant loss of the density and
volume of the jaw bone, and it is not enough to support a denture. Therefore,
before giving you a denture, we will
place a bone graft to restore the optimal jaw bone density.
- Alveoloplasty
– This is a procedure in which a knife-edge jaw bone ridge is re-shaped to
have a rounded contour. This helps in
enhancing the retention and stability of the denture.
- Bone
- Impression
Making – Doctors will make impressions of your teeth. Depending on the type
of denture they are preparing, they will use different kinds of techniques for making the impressions. Then send these
impressions, along with information about
the required shade and color of teeth will be sent to the laboratory. - Laboratory
Preparation – Back in the laboratory, your teeth impressions will be
utilized to prepare study models. On the study models, artificial teeth will be inserted in wax around the missing tooth
gap. - Try-in – Back
in the office, we will insert a wax model of the denture in your mouth to
assess the fit and accuracy. If everything goes well, the wax pattern will be converted into a definitive prosthesis at
the laboratory.
That’s it, your dentures are
ready! However, this process is a bit more complicated for complete dentures. This is because all the natural teeth would be missing,
and special measures must be employed to
prepare the full dentures.
So, are you ready to get a
charming smile and a youthful appearance with dentures? Book an appointment with us today and let us
take care of your problems.