For people who have missing teeth due to either injury or disease, the gaps in their mouth can make biting, chewing, and speaking a difficult task. The shape and structure of a person’s face will be affected by the missing teeth as they help keep the facial muscles from sagging.
A person with a lot of missing teeth can consider getting full or partial dentures. However, many factors have to be considered before deciding on the correct type of dentures.
What Are Full or Complete Dentures?
Full dentures are a set of customized, removable alternatives for missing teeth. In the case of complete dentures, all teeth in the upper and lower half of the mouth should be removed before going ahead with the fitting of dentures. Once the teeth have been extracted, it takes some time for the gums to heal before fitting the dentures.
A complete denture set is manufactured from a pink-colored plastic or acrylic material, and they are designed to rest on the gums. The set is fabricated to fit tightly and comfortably and serve as the original teeth. The latest dentures are much more natural-looking than those made a few years ago.
What Are Partial Dentures?
Partial dentures can be an alternative for dental patients who still have several teeth left that are suitably strong and in good shape. Partial dentures consist of an arch with one or more prosthetic teeth attached.
Partial dentures are prepared with the same pink-colored plastic or acrylic base used to make the full or complete dentures. They are designed to fit perfectly in the upper or lower half of the mouth and help replace the missing teeth with natural-looking false teeth. They have to be removed at night before going to bed, and they should be kept soaked in denture cleansing fluid overnight.
How Long Does It Take to Prepare the Dentures?
In full-set dentures, the remaining teeth must be removed first and the gums are allowed to heal completely. Then, it takes roughly about two to three months to manufacture the dentures. For this purpose, molds or impressions of the patient’s mouth are taken.
Partial dentures are made using the same procedure as full dentures. Once the gums have adequately healed, impressions or molds of the gums will be captured. These molds will be sent to a dental laboratory to fabricate a model. The model dentures will be fine-tuned to ensure a perfect fit. They consist of a metal framework that helps support the false teeth. This would then be held in position using clips and are carefully fitted to lock into place using the remaining natural teeth.
Call Austgen Family Dental at (317) 885-6400 to know more about Dentures and Partials or schedule an appointment online.
