Dentures: Restoring Your Smile

What is a denture?

• A removable replacement for missing teeth and adjacent tissues.
• Made of acrylic resin, sometimes in combination with various metals.
• Complete dentures replace all the teeth.
• A partial denture fills in the spaces created by missing teeth, improves appearance and chewing ability and prevents other teeth from changing position.
• Complete dentures are either "conventional", "immediate" or "implant assisted/supported".
• Construction of conventional dentures is usually started about 6 weeks after all the remaining teeth have been removed to allow for initial healing. Patients who are diabetic or who smoke may require a longer period of time for initial healing.
• An immediate denture is placed as soon as the last teeth are removed. Not everyone is a candidate for an immediate denture.
• Dental implants may sometimes be used to improve the stability and comfort of a denture under difficult oral conditions.

Who needs a denture?

• Candidates for complete dentures have lost most or all of their natural teeth or have advanced gum disease or extensive dental decay.
• A partial denture is suitable for many of those who have some natural teeth remaining.
• A denture improves chewing ability and speech, and provides support for facial muscles.
• Greatly enhances the facial appearance and smile.

How do you care for a denture?

• Remove and brush the denture after each meal, preferably with a brush designed specifically for cleaning dentures, using either a denture cleanser or toothpaste.
• Never use harsh, abrasive cleansers, including abrasive toothpastes, because they may scratch the surface of the denture.
• Don't try to sterilize or clean your denture with boiling water because it will permanently warp it.
• If you wear a partial denture, be sure to remove it before brushing your natural teeth.
• When not in use, soak your denture or partial denture in a cleanser solution or in water. Keep in a safe place.

Should a denture be worn at night?

• Under normal circumstances it is considered best to remove a denture or partial denture at night.
• Removing the denture or partial denture for at least eight hours (usually while sleeping) allows the gum tissue to rest and allows normal stimulation and cleansing by the tongue and saliva.

What happens in the mouth of the denture wearer over time?

• The ridge and tissues of the mouth which support a denture are slowly but constantly changing as time passes. These changes are always in the nature of shrinkage.
• Because of these shrinkage changes dentures may need to be refitted or remade from time to time. The rate of shrinkage varies greatly from one person to another.
• Dentures of all types have a limited life span of usefulness just as do eyeglasses. When conditions in the mouth change enough then new dentures are indicated.
• Ideally, the complete denture wearer should have an annual checkup! For the partial denture wearer the annual checkup is an absolute necessity!

Reprinted with permission from the Academy of General Dentistry

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