Removable prostheses
The complete prosthesis or denture
The full denture (or full denture) is used when there are no teeth left. It is removable because it is held in place by suction. Sometimes it takes some getting used to…
The immediate complete denture is made before your teeth are extracted. During your first visit, your dentist takes impressions of your jawbone and creates a model of it. The immediate prosthesis is inserted once the teeth are extracted. The advantage of the immediate prosthesis is that you do not have to wait to have teeth. This will have to be redone or touched up after healing.
Advantages and disadvantages of the complete prosthesis
The upper dentures are a little more comfortable and stable because of the suction created by the palate. However, it is more mobile compared to implants which are not mobile at all.
Over the years, the mouth changes (loss of bone and gums), the complete prosthesis is no longer well adjusted and moves. It is then necessary to change the prosthesis, usually about every 5 years.
It happens that the prostheses become impossible to make, this is due to a lack of bone, we will then suggest other options depending on your current condition.
Maintenance of your complete denture
Clean it daily, after each meal. Plaque and tartar build up on dentures just as easily as on natural teeth.
Take it off every night. Brush your teeth and gums with a soft bristle brush.
Soak it overnight in a lukewarm solution of half water, half white vinegar or a denture cleaner. This softens the plaque and tartar which are then easier to remove by brushing.
The partial prosthesis
The partial denture is made up of one or more artificial teeth and retained by clasps that attach to nearby natural teeth. You can remove it and clean it yourself.
The immediate partial denture is made before your teeth are extracted. It is not always necessary, for example if it is a posterior tooth (behind) which is to be extracted. During your first visit, your dentist takes impressions of your jawbone and creates a model of it. The immediate prosthesis is inserted once the teeth are extracted. The advantage of the immediate prosthesis is that you do not have to wait to have teeth. However, it must be redone about 3 to 4 months after healing.
Advantages and disadvantages of the partial denture
- Used to fill the spaces created by the extraction of teeth
- Clings to existing teeth
- Over time, partial clasps damage the teeth that support them;
- It must be removed regularly to clean
- It must be changed regularly (about every 5 years). Over the years, the mouth changes (loss of bone and
- gums), the partial is no longer well adjusted and moves
- Not fixed relative to implants.
Caring for your partial denture
Clean it daily. Plaque and tartar build up on dentures just as easily as on natural teeth.
Take it off every night. Brush your teeth and gums with a soft bristle brush. Clean your teeth well and massage your gums. If the toothbrush irritates you, run it under hot water to soften it OR try a clean damp cloth wrapped around your finger.
Soak it overnight in a lukewarm solution of half water, half white vinegar or a denture cleaner. This softens the plaque and tartar which are then easier to remove by brushing. If the prosthesis has metal clasps, soak it only in lukewarm water.
Can my removable dentures act like my real teeth?
Dental prostheses rest on the gums and cannot generate the permanent bone reconstruction intended by nature. The jawbones resorb and therefore gradually sag. This bone loss can lead to an imbalance that causes abnormal tension and relaxation in the muscles of the face and neck. This explains the gradual onset of facial and neck pain.
This is the reason why toothless people seem to age faster than others. Their lips are sunken and their chin is projected towards the nose because of the lack of tone required to maintain the delicate balance of the facial morphology. Partial dentures can also cause damage; the same phenomenon of bone resorption occurs, depriving the surrounding teeth of support. The movement of the prosthesis during chewing ends up affecting the adjacent teeth and can, in the long run, cause the loss of these.
