For anyone who has lost a few teeth or even more of them, dentures are a removable option that can help you eat and speak better than you would be able to without teeth. Gum disease, decay, and injury can all lead to missing teeth and dentures can offer help to your appearance, as well as your health.
At McPherson Dental Care, we know that some people are overwhelmed by the idea of dentures. There are many different types of dentures, but your dentist can give you information on the options and which might best fit your needs.
There are three types of dentures available: partial dentures, conventional dentures, and immediate dentures. All are similar in that they give the look and feel of natural teeth, even when those teeth are not present.
Immediate dentures are inserted when your remaining teeth are removed. Dr. Brian Kynaston, Dr. Matthew Perry, or Dr. Seth Prochaska will make models and take measurements of your jaw and mouth to create these dentures. Immediate dentures are used while your mouth is healing following any extractions. They will be replaced when your conventional denture is complete and your mouth has healed.
A partial denture is used when someone has enough teeth remaining to support the jawbone. This kind of dentures fits over your natural teeth and fills in the gaps where there are no teeth. A partial denture is known for being rather comfortable and is also entirely removable.
The conventional denture is the most common and what most people think of as a denture. It is removable and made to fit your entire mouth. It is inserted after all teeth have been removed and the mouth has had time to heal. This may be a few months after extraction.
The dentures that are used today are very similar in appearance to natural teeth. Many years ago, this was not the case but times have changed. The large number of shades that are available for dentures is one of the reasons they can seem so natural today. The base that the denture sits on can also be matched to the shade of your gums. All in all, you can expect for your dentures to look similar to your natural teeth and gums.
Dentures will have to be created and then fitted in order to ensure they fit you correctly. Because of that and the time spent healing your mouth after any extractions, getting permanent conventional dentures may take a few months once you get the ball rolling. You will visit McPherson Dental Care a few times during the process.