Dentures are removable appliances that can replace missing teeth and help restore your smile. If you’ve lost all of your natural teeth, whether from gum disease, tooth decay or injury, replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your health. Dentures make it easier to eat and speak better than you could without teeth.
As we age our mouth changes, gums shrink and bone recedes & existing dentures may need changing for any of the following reasons,
1. if eating is difficult and food collects under loose dentures which can cause ulcers on the gums and palette.
2. There is a clicking noise as the dentures click together
3. The teeth have become worn down, discoloured and unattractive.
4. Speaking and eating involves the dentures falling out of place.
When you lose all of your teeth, facial muscles can sag, making you look older. Dentures can help fill out the appearance of your face & profile. They can be made to closely resemble your natural teeth so that your appearance does not change much and will even improve
New dentures will be designed and made taking the following into consideration:
· The shape and contours of your face and mouth and decide how to improve your appearance
· The shade, shape, the dental ridges will be examined to see if they are suitable to support dentures.
· Your bite will be realigned to enable & ease eating & chewing restoring the relationship between jaw &face.
· The denture will be redesigned to support the lips & cheeks to prevent sunken cheeks & creasing at the corners.
· Measurements will be made to check any lengthening or shortening of the chew teeth that may be necessary.
Types of dentures:
· This full removable denture is made and placed in your mouth after the remaining teeth are removed and tissues have healed, which may take several months.
· This removable denture is inserted on the same day that the remaining teeth are removed. Your dentist will take measurements and make models of your jaw during a preliminary visit. You don’t have to be without teeth during the healing period, but may need to have the denture relined or remade after your jaw has healed.
· Sometimes some of your teeth can be saved to preserve your jawbone and provide stability and support for the denture. An overdenture fits over a small number of remaining natural teeth after they have been prepared by your dentist. Implants can serve the same function, too.
New dentures may feel awkward for a few weeks until you become accustomed to them. The dentures may feel loose while the muscles of your cheek and tongue learn to keep them in place. It is not unusual to experience minor irritation or soreness. You may find that saliva flow temporarily increases. As your mouth becomes accustomed to the dentures, these problems should go away. Follow-up appointments with the dentist are generally needed after a denture is inserted so the fit can be checked and adjusted. If any problem persists, particularly irritation or soreness, be sure to consult your dentist.
Even if you wear full dentures, you still have to practice good dental hygiene. Brush your gums, tongue and roof of your mouth every morning with a soft-bristled brush before you insert your dentures to stimulate circulation in your tissues and help remove plaque.
