Denture Treatments

Enjoying apples without teeth would be difficult.

Dentures strengthen facial muscles, assist with verbal articulation and aid in the mastication (chewing) process. Knowing the benefits of dentures is one thing, but knowing which denture treatment is right for you is another. There are five main treatments to choose from.

Complete Denture Treatment

Are they real teeth or dentures?

This involves the extraction of all the upper and lower teeth. A set of custom-fit moulded acrylic resin forms are fitted over the gums to replace the pulled teeth. One favored treatment, known as the immediate denture treatment, is a one-day process from extraction to replacement, but due to jaw and bone adjustments over the course of the year, refitting the dentures is necessary.

Partial Dentures

Partial denture appliance

A partial denture treatment fills in missing sections of teeth that cannot be restored. Partials are fixed appliances and are designed to meld in with the natural remaining teeth. These dentures are attached with stabilizing crowns or clasp hooks that wrap around existing teeth; they are made of a metal and resin combination.

Fixed Partial Dentures

Tooth extraction

Fixed partials, otherwise known as "bridge work," are permanent porcelain teeth that fit directly into the root hole left from a tooth extraction. First, a plug is placed into the removed root gap. Over time, the jaw will grow around the plug, creating a solid foundation for the stub and crown. The stub is screwed into the plug, and the porcelain (sometimes gold or metal) contoured crown is fitted and formed onto the plug.

Flipper Denture

Consistent dental hygiene protects against tooth decay.

Flipper dentures fall into the category of a partial denture, but these are removable appliances. Originally this treatment was designed to be a transitional solution while the permanent partials were being made. Flipper dentures are clear acrylic forms that have been molded to contour and slip into and around the surrounding natural teeth.

Nesbit Denture

The Nesbit denture treatment is a single tooth replacement. The tooth and the attachment surface is made from a flexible clear plastic with a hard fake tooth seamlessly attached. This treatment was also originally designed to be a temporary fix until a more permanent partial was completed, but more people today are using it as a permanent solution. Because it was designed to be a temporary fix, there is a real risk of accidentally swallowing the appliance.

References

• Denture Dentist Directory: Immediate Denture Procedure
• MyNewSmile.com: Nesbit Denture
• Quality Dentistry: Partial Denture