If you’ve lost your natural teeth, whether from periodontal disease, tooth decay or injury, complete dentures can replace your missing teeth and save your smile. Full dentures are used as replacements for people who are missing all of their teeth. Dentures can also be used in patients who have only partial tooth loss. This is called a partial denture or an overdenture. Replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your health. Dentures add support to your facial muscles. Without that support, facial muscles sag, making you look older. We take for granted eating and speaking until our natural teeth are lost.
There are various types of complete dentures. A conventional full denture is made and placed in the patient’s mouth after the remaining teeth are removed and tissues have healed which may take several months. An immediate complete denture is inserted as soon as the remaining teeth are removed. The dentist takes measurements and makes models of the patient’s jaws during a preliminary visit. With immediate dentures, the denture wearer does not have to be without teeth during the healing period. When choosing a dentist to do this procedure, keep in mind that prosthodontists have three additional years of advanced training in restorative dentistry over a general dentist. Dr. Johnson specializes in crafting the teeth for the appliance so they are similar in appearance to actual teeth and are comfortable and functional.
Even if you wear full dentures, you still must take good care of your mouth. Brush your gums, tongue and palate every morning with a soft-bristled brush before you insert your dentures to stimulate circulation in your tissues and help remove plaque.
