A Denture is a removable prosthesis used to replace missing teeth. Commonly referred to as ‘false teeth’. A partial Denture is fitted to replace some missing teeth whilst a Complete Denture is indicated when all natural teeth are missing. A good set of Dentures helps you to eat, speak, function, and often improves a person’s appearance.
Standard Dentures are made from Acrylic.
Valplast was the first flexible denture material in the world and has over 60 years of research, testing and development. Here are some of features of Valplast flexible dentures:
These metal partial dentures are made from an alloy of cobalt and chromium and they are much stronger than acrylic dentures. They are lighter to wear and can be supported by the remaining teeth. Although the base is metal, acrylic is then used to attach artificial teeth to the metal framework.
Natural teeth provide extra retention for a partial denture and more importantly distribute the loading and stresses of a partial denture through these natural teeth.
Cobalt chromium dentures can be designed in various ways to suit individual patients, for example a ‘skeleton’ design can be made so that it comes into minimal contact with the soft palate, reducing the incidence of gagging. They can also be utilised to reinforce full dentures and be used to strengthen implant retained acrylic dentures.
Sometimes, having a ‘Cosmetic Natural Looking’ denture alone is not enough and you will need the help of implants for extra stability. Implants are tiny titanium rods that replicate the natural root of a tooth, which is surgically placed into the jaw bone, once placed a Dentist will be able to monitor the healing of your implants for 6 months and provide a temporary denture whilst healing is taking place. Once healing is complete you can then have a ‘Cosmetic Natural Looking’ implant denture.
A new denture is created to sit on top of the implants rather than the gums, which in turn gives you more security, stability and peace of mind whilst eating and talking, as the denture is held in via the implants, instead of relying on the bone and denture adhesives.
There are various options available for implant dentures, with removable implant dentures and fixed implant dentures. Implant dentures are dependent on patient suitability for implant placement and will require an Implant consultation, to assess suitability, bone levels etc.
This type of implant denture is removable and allows you to remove the denture in and out of the mouth and is used with clip type attachments that clip into the implants placed in the mouth, similar to that of a stud button on a jacket. The type of attachments used depends on the type of implant placed.
With removable implant dentures, two or more implants are surgically placed into the jaw, top or bottom and sometimes both. Once the implants are placed, an implant denture is made with the chosen attachment to clip into the implants placed in the mouth and instantly creates a stable and secure denture. The dentures can be removed and cleaned with ease and clips back into place.
Depending on the complexity of each case, the duration of the treatment will vary. After the initial visit of examination and diagnosis, the subsequent visits will include taking impressions of the mouth, bite registration, try-in of the denture, fitting and review.
New dentures always feel strange when first placed in your mouth. Several days or weeks will be required before you get accustomed to them. Adaptation varies with different persons and often time and experience are essential before dentures can be worn comfortably and function effectively.
Eating – Eating will take a little practice. Start with soft foods and foods cut into small pieces will help. Chew slowly using both sides of your mouth at the same time to prevent dentures from tipping. Once you become accustomed to chewing, include other foods until you return to your normal diet.
Increased salivary flow – You may experience an increase in salivary flow when the dentures are first inserted. This is a natural response of the salivary glands that will return to normal after a few weeks…
Speech – New dentures may alter your speech initially. Pronouncing certain words may require practice. Reading out loud and repeating troublesome words will speed up the adaptation process. This problem rarely persists beyond two weeks.
Sore spots – Minor irritation caused by surface irregularities or pressure spots on the denture-bearing areas are quite common. Your dentist will relieve the discomfort by adjusting the denture surface. Stop wearing the denture if the irritation is very painful. Consult your dentist immediately.
Like natural teeth, dentures can accumulate plaque and food debris, particularly in areas where the denture is in contact with the remaining teeth and gums. In addition to the usual oral hygiene measures like tooth brushing, dentures should be cleaned regularly. Poor denture hygiene can result in stains on the denture and a bad odour.
If possible, dentures should be removed and cleaned after every meal. When cleaning, remember the following:
When you are not wearing the dentures, store them in water. Dentures may lose their shape if left to dry out.
During the first few days you are advised to wear them most of the time except when sleeping. Always remove the dentures before going to bed. This will allow your gum tissues to rest and promote oral health. Gentle massaging of the gums with a soft toothbrush is encouraged. Remember to soak the dentures in water to prevent them from drying out. If dentures are kept in overnight this can cause problems to your soft tissues like thrush.
Your jawbones and gums naturally shrink over time and this can cause the dentures to fit less securely. Ill-fitting dentures can give rise to chewing difficulties, soreness, infections and changes in facial support. It is important that you visit your dentist to have your dentures and oral tissues evaluated yearly. Your dentures may need to be adjusted, relieved or even relined from time to time to ensure an optimal fit.
Do not attempt to adjust the denture yourself – seek professional help.
With time and practice, you will soon learn to eat, talk and smile with your dentures as you would with your natural teeth.
If you do happen to break your dentures, please book an appointment to have them mended, do not try and attempt to glue them back together yourself this can actually make it worse and affect our lab technicians from being able to mend this properly for you!
With four fully qualified dentists within the team, we take great pride in the level of care we provide, and we always welcome new patients to be registered.
Our state of the art newly refurbished dental surgery, complete with top of the range equipment, ensures that all your appointments will be held in comfort.
