Complete or partial dentures can replace your missing teeth and give you the confidence to smile. Dentures can be used to replace teeth that have been lost due to trauma, decay, or gum disease. It is important to replace missing teeth, not only because teeth help with eating food, but because they help support the facial muscles and are critical for speech.
There are two different types of removable full dentures; immediate and conventional. Immediate dentures are typically made when the patient’s existing natural teeth are being removed and the new dentures are delivered the day of the extractions.
Conventional dentures are typically made when existing dentures are being replaced.
A partial denture is a removable dental appliance that replaces multiple missing teeth. It can be attached to the teeth with clasps, which are like small metal “c” clamps that hug nearby teeth, or may be attached to teeth with crowns with precision attachments (hidden clasps). Both types typically have a metal framework and plastic teeth and gum areas. A temporary partial dental may have a plastic base with no metal.
Implants are an option in some cases. There needs to be sufficient bone for an implant. If there is not enough bone present, we may be able to add more bone through grafting. Please read our Implants page and visit our Implants Gallery for more information.
Instead of having a removable partial, implants are an option in many cases. In the case above, two implants are placed to create an implant bridge.
After the implants are placed and the bone around them is allowed to heal, porcelain teeth are attached to the implants. In this case, a three tooth bridge is placed on top of the two implants. This stays in the mouth and is only removable by a dental professional if maintenance is necessary.
