Choosing the right dentures can be vital to not just oral health but overall well-being. With various options available, understanding the types of dentures and their suitability for different needs is essential. This guide will help you navigate the choices and make an informed decision.
What Are Dentures?
Dentures are removable dental prosthetics that replace missing teeth and surrounding tissue following tooth loss. Dentures are very popular among patients who, whether due to decay, disease, trauma, or age, have lost some or all of their teeth.
Dentures are custom-made, usually of natural-looking porcelain or acrylic resin, to comfortably fit the mouth of the person for whom they’re intended. Typically, dentures come in one of two main forms:
- Complete. When all the teeth from an “arch” of the upper or lower jaw are lost, a complete denture is appropriate. Complete dentures fit snugly over the gums and jawbone, like a mouthpiece.
- Partial. In cases in which a few teeth are missing, a partial denture can help. Partials are designed to attach to adjacent teeth and fill in gaps.
Remember, though they’re removable, dentures do require care. This includes daily cleaning with a soft-bristled brush and denture cleaner.
What Are the Benefits of Wearing Dentures?
Dentures offer several benefits. Here are some of the biggest:
- Confidence. Dentures restore a wearer’s natural-looking smile and renew confidence in chewing, biting, and speaking, boosting the wearer’s overall self-esteem
- No food restrictions. Patients with properly fitted dentures can return to eating all of the foods they enjoyed before tooth loss
- Support for Facial Muscles and Oral Bone Structure. Without the support of natural teeth, a person’s facial muscles begin to sag and jawbone density can begin to deteriorate. Dentures replace the support that is normally provided by natural teeth.
- Easy Maintenance. Since dentures are removable, proper cleaning, both through brushing the dentures and soaking them when you’re not wearing them is easier than with other tooth-loss solutions like dental bridges.
Top-Tier Tooth Replacement in Aurora, CO
If you’re in the Aurora area and would like to learn more about all of your tooth replacement options, including dentures and dental implants, and find the appropriate solution for you, contact dentist Dr. John Chen and the team at Uptown Comprehensive Dentistry and Prosthodontics to schedule a consultation!