TREATMENTS

Dentures

A full denture ("complete" denture), is an appliance that replaces all of the natural teeth and provides support for the cheeks and lips.

Most dentures are made of acrylic and can be fabricated two different ways:

~ A conventional denture is made after all teeth have been extracted and the 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 has acrylic, usually flesh colored, that covers the palate (roof of the mouth).

~ A lower denture is shaped like a horseshoe, leaving room for the tongue.

The teeth are made of heat-cured, pressure-cured acrylic. Dentures can be fabricated to fit over root-canaled teeth, and a complete "over-denture" can be attached to dental implants to allow for a more secure fit of the appliance.

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