Are you a dental patient who has experienced tooth loss? A person who has experienced tooth loss will need some sort of prosthesis to replace the missing teeth. The prosthesis that is chosen should not only improve the aesthetics of your smile, but can help improve speech and pronunciation.
Dentures are custom made dental replacements that can be removed. They are a prosthesis that can also help you chew better, and provides support for your cheeks and lips, which helps correct the collapsed facial appearance that occurs after losing teeth. All of the above reasons are so important for better self-esteem, and better quality of life, which makes getting dentures an appealing idea. Your dentist will be the best person to figure out what form of dental prosthesis is right for you. But, read further as we discuss dentures, a dental replacement option.
Dentures can be partial or full, and they are a great option to consider if you are in need of dental replacements. Modern dentures have never been more useful and comfortable. So, if you have decided to get replacements you will need to know the difference between partial and full dentures. So read further as we explain why a person may need replacements like dentures, and the explanation between partial dentures and full dentures.
Why Would Someone Need Dentures?
As mentioned above, dentures are removable dental replacements for missing teeth. And having missing teeth can cause a whole host of problems for a dental patient. For starters, a patient that has lost one or two teeth may just be considered with how to improve the aesthetics of their smile. However, if a patient has lost a lot of all of their teeth there are many more issues to worry about than appearance. Teeth are important to the structure of the face, and missing teeth can cause your facial muscles to sag. This can cause the patient to have difficulty speaking and pronouncing words. Missing several teeth also means that the patient may have a hard time chewing food, and this can contribute negatively to their overall health. And, did you know that loose teeth can cause any remaining teeth to grow crooked. That is because teeth that are not securely planted into the jawbone can eventually lean into any empty space where there are missing teeth. This will affect the dental patients’ bite, or how the upper and lower sets of teeth come together. It is also difficult to clean crooked teeth. The bottom line is if a person has lost all or many of their teeth, dentures may be the right choice.
Who Needs Full Dentures?
Full or complete dentures are needed for people who have lost all their natural teeth. Full dentures are custom made for each dental patient. They are meant to be removable, but they function as replacements for missing teeth. Usually, if a person is receiving full dentures, it means that all of the teeth in the lower and upper part of the mouth must be removed. Then, after the removal, the gums have to heal before the full dentures can be fitted.
A conventional full denture is ready to be placed in the mouth eight to twelve weeks after the teeth have been removed. A full denture is made from plastic that is flesh-colored and it sits on the gums. The denture fits snugly and serves as real teeth. Modern dentures are very realistic looking, and the aesthetics of dentures have come a long way. Modern dentures also fit way better than ever before.
Who Needs Partial Dentures?
Partial dentures are used when a dental patient has lost a few natural teeth, but one or more natural teeth remain in the lower or upper jaw. So, a partial denture usually consists of replacement teeth that are attached to a flesh-colored plastic base. Sometimes, the base is connected by a metal framework that helps hold the partial denture into place. Partial dentures are also made to be removed, and it can fill in the spaces from missing teeth. Partial dentures also prevent the remaining teeth from changing position.
How Do New Dentures Feel?
It is not unusual for some minor irritation or tenderness to occur when you first start to wear your dentures. They may feel odd for a few weeks as your facial muscles and tongue get used to them. It will also take a bit of time getting efficient at inserting and removing the dentures. Beside soreness, a patient may also have their saliva flow increase as they adjust to wearing dentures. Luckily, these problems do get better and tend to resolve as the mouth adjusts.