5 Types of Dentures That Can Rejuvenate Your Smile

Jun 01, 2020

Losing your pearly whites is not an easy thing. Missing teeth are noticeable and can alter the quality of your life. Not only are the gaps not aesthetically pleasing, but your speech, chewing ability, and even your facial structure are altered after tooth loss.

There is a myriad of reasons why people lose their teeth, ranging from extractions to accidents irrespective of the reason, and you will need a permanent solution to restore your smile makeover calgary.

Modern dentistry has availed a plethora of replacement options for missing teeth, such as implants and bridges. However, dentures can be an excellent solution to restore your smile, depending on your individual needs.

Dentures in NW Calgary also come in different types and can be used in various scenarios depending on your needs and preference. Without further ado, let’s look at the different types of dentures available to you.

Traditional Complete Dentures

These conventional types of dentures are likely what you think about when you picture dentures. They are designed to replace an entire arch of missing teeth and can be a great option to replace all of your missing upper teeth but are not recommended to replace all missing lower teeth. The reason for this is that complete upper dentures cover the roof of your mouth and use a suction fit to keep them in place. This type of suction fit cannot be sufficiently obtained on the lower arch.

This type of denture is a removable option. It must be removed every night, as well as each day to clean, to ensure the health of your gums.

If your teeth have recently been extracted, we will wait for 6 to 7 months before fabricating this final denture for you. When teeth are extracted, the bone will begin to shrink. This shrinkage happens most drastically during the first six months after the teeth have been removed. For this reason, we typically provide patients with an immediate temporary denture to wear while healing after tooth extraction. It can require many adjustments to ensure a comfortable fit for these six months.

Traditional Partial Dentures

These dentures are very similar to the traditional complete dentures; however, they only replace some, not all teeth in an arch. Instead of relying on a suction fit to retain the denture, partial dentures use clasps to hold the dentures in place. These clasps wrap around select natural teeth to anchor the partial denture. Partial dentures can be used to replace missing teeth in either the upper or lower arches. As with the traditional complete dentures, the partial dentures also must be removed each night to ensure the health of the underlying gums.

Immediate Complete or Partial Dentures

Immediate dentures are made before the extraction of one or multiple teeth and are inserted immediately following extraction surgery. They are considered a temporary replacement option designed to be an inexpensive way to replace extracted teeth while you heal aesthetically. As explained earlier, when a tooth is extracted, the surrounding bone will begin to shrink. Immediate dentures will be adjusted many times while you heal to ensure a comfortable fit. After your bone has stabilized, we can begin making the final dentures. You can keep the immediate dentures as a back-up set for you to wear if your final dentures require repair of any kind in the future.

Removable Implant Complete or Partial Dentures

This type of denture is a removable option which snaps onto dental implants and allows support to be gained from both the gums as well as dental implant near me. The retentive component of this denture wears over time and would need to be replaced every six months to 2 years. This type of denture must be removed at night to ensure the long term health of the underlying gums. Removable implant-retained dentures offer a more secure fit than traditional dentures, as well as a more stable chewing ability. Depending on the number of implants placed, removable implant dentures can be made, so the roof of your mouth is not covered completely.

Fixed Complete or Partial Dentures

As the name suggests, this denture type is fixed in place, more similar to your natural teeth. They would only be removable by our office every six months to 1 year for cleaning. A fixed denture requires more time in your daily home oral hygiene regime than any of the removable options but will provide the most stable and long-lasting biting surface. These dentures are a slim and natural-looking option that will not cover the roof of your mouth; therefore, your speech and taste will not be affected.

If you are missing one or multiple teeth, contact Dr. Nimet Adatia, our Calgary Prosthodontist at Northwest Prosthodontics, to book an appointment! We will take the time to listen and explain your options.