Dentures are a synthetic replacement for natural teeth that can replace all or some of a person’s natural teeth. The denture set is tailor-made for each patient, and efforts are made to match them with the natural color of the patients’ teeth.
At Radiant Dental Care in Pasadena, TX, we provide various denture options for our patients to help them regain their smile and mouth functionality to some extent.
Why Use Dentures?
Dentures are an affordable alternative to other prosthetic restorations such as crowns, bridges, and dental implants. Besides enhancing the aesthetics of a patient’s smile, dentures help maintain the integrity of the face by solidly supporting the structure around lips and cheeks. In addition, dentures make sure the patient receives proper nutrition by allowing them to chew on their food correctly. They can also substitute severely damaged teeth that can otherwise give rise to other health complications.
What Are the Different Types of Dentures?
Dentures are broadly classified into two types depending on the number of teeth being replaced.
Complete Dentures
Complete or full dentures can help replace all of the patient’s missing natural teeth. These dentures can be fitted to the upper and lower gum arch using oral adhesives or suction force. The patient can remove their dentures before going to sleep. The dentures should be carefully cleaned with a cleansing solution and maintained efficiently.
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures are often preferred over other restorative alternatives when the surrounding teeth are not strong enough to anchor support structures such as crowns, bridges, and dental implants. Partial dentures are secured to the natural gum line using dental adhesives and the natural teeth act as support to hold them in position. As they are not permanent restorations, they can be removed when required.
How Can Dentures Be Maintained?
Dentures need to be cleaned daily. Though made of artificial teeth, bacteria, plaque, and tartar can develop on dentures and eventually harm your healthy teeth and gums. The dentures need to be cleaned carefully using a soft bristle brush with a denture cleaner or mild soap. Standard cleaning solutions like toothpaste or any other solution can damage and wear away the denture. Additionally, the patient should also clean the gums and natural teeth, if any, using a soft-bristle brush.
Dentists suggest removing dentures before going to sleep to protect them from any damage and allowing the gums to relax. Dentures should be thoroughly soaked in warm water to prevent them from any damage.
If you are interested in learning more about your denture options, call Radiant Dental Care in Pasadena, TX at (281) 991-6530 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Deborah Sprott.