Dentures (also called false teeth) are custom-made prosthetic appliances used to replace any missing teeth or extracted permanent teeth and surrounding soft tissues.

Why Do You Need Dentures? When most of your permanent teeth are lost due to any gum disease, dental caries, or tooth injury, dentures would be a great solution. The missing teeth can be replaced, which aid in improving your dental aesthetics and oral health. The key to this is getting dentures that make eating and speaking easier than when you have no teeth, which is often overlooked. The facial muscles begin to weaken and droop after losing your teeth, eventually making you look older. Dentures are helpful and fill in the looks of your face and profile. Dentures are custom-made so that they can match your natural teeth both in color and shape, improving your smile.

Types of Dentures Dentures are classified into the following types:

Complete Dentures Complete dentures, otherwise known as full dentures, are prostheses worn by patients when they are missing all of their permanent teeth. The dentures can be either for the teeth absent in the upper jaw (maxilla) or those in the lower jaw (mandible), but usually for both arches or jaws. Complete dentures are made of either acrylic or any other base plate material, according to the patient’s desire and current affordability. The base replicates the natural color and appearance of the gums, to this is attached a whole set of artificial acrylic, porcelain, and metal teeth. They are held in place with the help of suction or by an oral adhesive that can be either a paste or in powder form.

These dentures are either ‘removable’ or ‘conventional.’ They can be easily worn and removed by the patient himself. Removable complete dentures, if worn immediately after the natural teeth are removed, may alter the shape of the bone and gums, and the dentures may need to be refined and reshaped to fit. Thus, it is convenient that after extraction, the gums are allowed to heal for three months before the dentures are put in. The candidates for complete dentures can be both elderly and younger patients. In elderly patients, those who are usually 65+ lose all of their teeth due to age or some oral disease. Younger patients can be candidates because they have lost their teeth due to a severe injury or severe tooth decay.

Partial Dentures Partial dentures are prosthetic devices designed to fill in the gaps left by one or more teeth in the upper or lower jaws. Partial dentures are made either on a plastic base or a metal framework that supports the tooth to be replaced. It acts so that the adjacent teeth work as ‘abutments’ and give support to the teeth being placed, so it forms a ‘bridge.’ They also fix onto their positions by using clasps or clips that fit around the surrounding permanent teeth.

Types of Partial Dentures Partial dentures are further classified into two subtypes:

Fixed Partial Dentures Fixed partial dentures, sometimes known as implant-supported bridges, replace a few missing teeth in a row with permanent teeth present on both sides. The existing permanent teeth act as ‘abutments’ that support the pontic (replacement) tooth. Unlike complete and removable partial dentures, these are fixed on their final positions and cannot be removed by the patient.

Advantages of Fixed Partial Dentures These dentures undoubtedly improve your smile They are stronger than removable dentures Tooth positioning is better and has a proper bite Disadvantages of Fixed Partial Dentures: The abutment teeth are at a higher risk of decay They can damage the periodontium and the dental pulp Replacement of these dentures is relatively expensive

Removable Partial Dentures Removable partial dentures replace a few missing teeth either in the upper or lower jaw. It is built on a plastic base that resembles the color of the patient’s gum. This apparatus is attached to a cast metal base plate which makes it stronger and sturdy. These dentures can be removed easily by the patient and put back on at any time. These dentures are recommended to those patients that cannot afford implant retained dentures.

Removable partial dentures are further of two types: Cast partial dentures – consist of gum tissue-colored base with metal framework Acrylic partial dentures – made of acrylic resins that mimic the function of the original teeth

Permanent Dentures Permanent dentures are those that, with the help of dental implants, remain ‘permanently’ fixed on their positions and are not removable by any means. These dentures include the fixed partial dentures and any other implant or screw-retained dentures.

Advantages of Permanent Dentures Permanent dentures can be used for a longer period They provide a better biting and chewing surface They appear to be more natural and comfortable

Disadvantages of Permanent Dentures Not everyone can afford these dentures as they are costly

All-on-4 Dentures All-on-4 dentures replace several missing teeth in an arch by placing four dental implants in the jawbone. The implants can support both fixed and removable dentures and help maintain the jawbone’s strength and integrity. The time taken to complete this procedure takes about two to three hours and is generally completed in a day. In these dentures, the implants are so designed to fuse with the jaw bone and mimic the permanent teeth in both form and function.

Advantages of All-on-4 Dentures The patient is saved from getting an implant for every tooth The healing time is reduced, and so temporary dentures can be immediately placed soon after extraction of teeth

All-on-6 Dentures All-on-6 dentures are used to replace a significant amount of missing teeth in an arch (upper or lower). In these dentures, an entire prosthetic arch is fitted into six dental implants present in the jaw bone. Time taken for this is about a day.

Advantages of all-on-6 dentures All-on-6 dentures provide a firmer attachment than all-on-4 dentures It helps strengthen the jaw bone, which otherwise deteriorates in the absence of the dental implants These dentures provide a better bite and more stability

To sum up, dentures are devices used to replace missing teeth in the upper or lower arches. They can be complete or partial dentures. They are worn mainly by younger patients due to aesthetic concerns and by the elderly to help them overcome their difficulty while eating and speaking. They may feel uncomfortable at first, but slowly the mouth becomes accustomed to them. Dentures are to be brushed regularly at least two times a day like any other regular teeth.

FAQs Do dentures change your facial profile? Dentures help in improving your smile. Secondly, they prevent your lips from curving inwards, which is the case in older patients having missing teeth. Lastly, they also help prevent sagging of facial muscles. How do I clean my dentures? Dentures are cleaned by a soft bristle brush and brushing softly over it. Then place them overnight in a denture cleaning solution. Equally important is that you brush and wash them in the morning before putting them on.