A denture can either be a complete (full) denture replacing all teeth in a jaw, or a partial denture replacing a few missing teeth. Wearing a denture can improve aesthetics, speech, eating function and support facial muscles.
Dentures are made of acrylic or a combination of acrylic and metal. A denture can be immediately placed at the day of tooth removal (immediate denture) or delayed months to years after tooth removal.
Partial dentures use metal attachments to gain support and retention from your natural teeth. A partial denture is an affordable removable option, however fixed alternative options are bridges or implants.
Complete dentures stay in place by way of a suction seal created by a thin layer of saliva lying between the denture base and underlying gum and bone tissue. The more surface area, the better the seal. Not everyone copes well with full dentures as denture retention is effected by the amount of jaw bone, saliva flow rate, size of tongue, and position and strength of tissue attachments.
An immediate denture generally will not fit as well as a delayed denture as the technician must guess the position the jaw bone will heal to after tooth removal. The jaw bone remodels substantially in the first 6 months after tooth removal, often causing immediate dentures to fit loosely soon after placement. Most immediate dentures require a reline (addition of acrylic to the underside of your dentures) or complete remake (depending on how much the jaw bone remodels).
A delayed denture will fit better than an immediate denture, however, it requires you to go without teeth for 3 – 6 months.
The manufacture of dentures require multiple visits spaced approximately a week apart to allow time for the laboratory work to be completed. The appointment schedule often requires:
The denture cost of a single plate ranges from $850 to $1900 depending on the material used and the number of denture teeth required.