Full & Partial Dentures

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Full & Partial Dentures

A denture, or a complete denture as it is often called, is an appliance that is inserted in the mouth that replaces natural teeth and provides support for the cheeks and lips.

Dentures are beneficial in multiple ways:

  • Mastication – chewing ability is improved by replacing missing teeth with dentures.
  • Aesthetics – dentures not only restore a natural and attractive appearance to the teeth, but can also correct the collapsed exterior of lips and cheeks that occurs after losing teeth.
  • Confidence – a healthy and beautiful-looking smile will help the patient feel more confident and attractive.
  • Phonetics – by replacing missing teeth, patients will be able to better pronounce certain words that require the use of teeth to speak.

Most dentures are made of acrylic and can be fabricated at different times. A conventional denture is made after all teeth have been extracted and the tissues (gums) have healed. An immediate denture is fabricated and inserted immediately after the teeth are extracted and the tissues are allowed to heal under the denture.

An upper denture is acrylic and usually flesh colored that covers the palate (roof of the mouth) and a lower denture is shaped like a horseshoe to leave room for the tongue (i.e., the maxillary [upper] or mandibular [lower] arch). The teeth are made of plastic, porcelain, or a combination of both. Dentures can be fabricated to fit over endodontically-treated teeth and a complete denture can be attached to dental implants to allow for a more secure fit of the appliance.

An upper denture is relatively straightforward to manufacture so it is stable without slippage. The lower full denture is typically more complex because there is no “suction” holding it in place like the upper denture. For this reason, there is a general consensus that a lower full denture should be supported by two to four implants placed in the lower jaw. A lower denture supported by implants is a far more secure placement than without implants. Without implants, the denture is only held in place with weak lower mouth muscles. With a lower denture secured with implants, the patients should be able to bite into an apple. Without implants, it will be difficult or impossible to do so.

Over a normal course of time, dentures will wear and need to be replaced or relined in order to keep the jaw alignment normal. The alignment will slowly change as the bone and gum ridges recede or shrink due to extraction of the teeth. Regular dental examinations are still important for the denture wearer so the oral tissues can be checked for disease or change.

Benefits of Removable Partial Dentures:

  • Protects the health of oral tissues, and prevent other teeth from drifting into gaps left by missing teeth. When teeth drift, they open spaces where food particles can become trapped, creating bacteria growth and gum disease.

  • Restores the comfort of normal chewing, eating, and speech once skewed by tooth loss.

  • Improves your appearance and bolsters confidence lost when teeth were missing.

Removable Partial Dentures

What are Removable Partial Dentures?

A removable partial denture is an artificial tooth appliance used to replace one or several missing teeth, and is attached to remaining teeth with metal clasps. These dentures are removable to allow for easy cleaning. The base of removable partial dentures is usually made of acrylic or metal. The gums are made from acrylic, and the artificial teeth are made from acrylic or porcelain.

Your dentures will be designed by Dr. Schilling, Dr. Fuhrmann, Dr. Ezzo, Dr. Patel, Dr. Draper, and Dr. Jacob to best fit your specific needs. Because they require use of soft tissue and remaining teeth, a thorough examination will be performed to determine if dental work is needed prior to removable partial denture fitting.

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