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Dental Health: Dentures
Introduction
A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and surrounding
tissues. Two types of dentures are available -- complete and partial dentures.
Complete dentures are used when all the teeth are missing, while partial
dentures are used when some natural teeth remain.
Complete Dentures
Complete dentures can be either "conventional" or
"immediate." Made after the teeth have been removed and the gum tissue
has begun to heal, a conventional denture is ready for placement in the mouth
about 8 to 12 weeks after the teeth have been removed.
Unlike conventional dentures, immediate dentures are made in advance and can
be positioned as soon as the teeth are removed. As a result, the wearer does
not have to be without teeth during the healing period. However, bones and gums
shrink over time, especially during the healing period following tooth removal.
Therefore a disadvantage of immediate dentures compared with conventional
dentures is that they require more adjustments to fit properly during the
healing process and generally should only be considered a temporary solution
until conventional dentures can be made.
Partial Dentures
A removable partial denture or bridge usually
consists of replacement teeth attached to a pink or gum-colored plastic base,
which is connected by metal framework that holds the denture in place in the
mouth. Partial dentures are used when one or more natural teeth remain in the
upper or lower jaw. A fixed (permanent) bridge replaces one or more teeth by
placing crowns
on the teeth on either side of the space and attaching artificial teeth to
them. This "bridge" is then cemented into place. Not only does a
partial denture fill in the spaces created by missing teeth, it prevents other
teeth from changing position. A precision partial denture is removable and has
internal attachments rather than clasps that attach to the adjacent crowns.
This is a more natural-looking appliance.
Next: Are there alternatives to dentures? »
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