Dentures are a set of false teeth that enable individuals to eat naturally and smile with confidence.
They are usually made from lifelike resin teeth bonded to a plastic base. You can have either a complete set of dentures or a partial set – depending on how many teeth you are missing and how many needs to be replaced.
It is not advisable to extract all your teeth to make a denture. Saving even a few natural teeth is often better than losing them all. Natural teeth can help you retain bone in your jaw.
They also can act as stable support so your denture is unlikely to shift in your mouth. Besides, your natural teeth can help bear some of the chewing pressure which reduces pressure on other areas of the jaw.
You feel a better sense of where your jaw is in space and the pressure you are placing on the denture if you have not lost all of your teeth. It will be easier to wear your dentures if you have kept some teeth.
The dentist will first examine you and determine if dentures are suitable. Other options to replace missing teeth include bridge and implants.
Measurements and impressions of your mouth are taken. This is then sent to a dental technician in a laboratory for construction. Laboratory work is involved at every step of the denture process.
A second impression may be required on the second visit as well. You and the dentist can decide the colour of your denture teeth. The dentist will check how you bite using a wax build-up in the areas of your missing teeth. At another visit, the denture teeth set on the wax build-up will be tried again. If satisfactory, the denture will be manufactured and fitted in the final visit.
Sometimes, certain steps have to be repeated in order to achieve a good outcome for you so that you can bite well and have a great smile. In certain cases, some steps can be skipped.
This is a fee estimate & subject to change. Please check with your clinician for an exact fee based on your unique clinical condition.
Dentures are fragile. Refrain from using harsh abrasive cleansers as they may scratch the surface. Never sterilize your dentures in boiling water.
New or modified dentures may feel strange at first and can affect your speech and eating. The more you wear them the better they will feel as the mouth needs time to adapt to the new shape. So keep on trying.
A lower denture usually takes more time to adjust to than an upper denture. You can contact your dentist if you have any other questions or trouble with your new dentures.
Dentures usually need to be altered from time to time. That’s because the gums and bone supporting the dentures change over time. Thus your dentures may not fit well and become loose.
About 8 weeks after you have lost your teeth, either naturally or by extraction, the wounds would have healed. Then your dentist can begin the process of making your denture.