How do Dentures Work?

The dental industry as a whole will do everything they can to save a patient’s natural teeth. Even with that mission there are still over 30 million American’s today without their teeth. That number is expected to grow to close to 200 million in the next 10 to 15 years. This is the result of poor oral hygiene leading to gum disease and cavities that prevent a tooth from being saved. A set of chapel hill dentures are replacement teeth. Custom made for the individual patient they are designed to be removed every night for the sake of quality care.

The Different Types of Dentures

Before we can fully address how dentures work we need to identify the different types because they do work a little differently. A full set of dentures are when all the teeth are missing in an arch. A partial set of dentures is when the patient has some natural teeth remaining and the dentures, still fabricated in a dental lab, use a wire type harness to anchor to the natural teeth. Finally, another type of dentures is now combining the methods of two replacement approaches, dentures and dental implants. With this variety four or six implants are surgically placed in the jaw of the arch in question. Once the implants have fused to the bone extensions are placed and those extensions become the anchors for the dentures.

How Each Type of Dentures Work

The traditional or convention dentures start with an impression of the patient’s arch, or arches. With or without natural teeth this is what the dental lab starts with. Acrylic trays, molded to match the color of the patient’s gums, are created to sit tightly on the arches. The artificial teeth are set into these trays. If the budget is increased by 20% custom dentures can be fabricated with higher quality artificial teeth. These trays then sit on the gum tissue and are held in place with adhesive. The dentures are indeed designed to be removed every evening and cared for.

A partial set of dentures are fabricated the same way in a dental lab with the addition of a metal framework. From the impression taken this partial set of dentures is designed to use that metal framework to hook around a natural tooth. This enhances the stability of the dentures when be held in place. They are also designed to be removed daily.

The implant supported denture is also fabricated in a dental lab. Also, designed to be removed the final addition are snaps placed into the underside of the trays. These snaps line up with the abutments of the implants to anchor the tray without the use of adhesives. This form of dentures not only delivers a better sensation for biting and chewing but also improves speech.

The Benefits of Dentures

Biting and chewing is the most obvious benefit when it comes to quality of life in replacing natural teeth. Yet there is the invaluable asset of the smile and how it affects self-confidence and self-esteem in a patient’s life. For those that suffer from tooth loss dentures are a worthwhile investment.

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