Aesthetic Dentures

If you've lost some or all of your natural teeth, whether from periodontal disease, tooth decay or injury, dentures can replace your missing teeth and your smile.  Replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your health.  Advances in dentistry have made many improvements in dentures.  They are more natural looking and comfortable than they ever used to be.  Dentures supplement or reconstruct missing teeth.  They are made of metals and alloys (e.g. aluminum, silver, cobalt, nickel, and titanium), plastics and ceramics.  Types of dentures available:

• Complete Dentures - can be either “conventional” or “immediate.”  Made after the teeth have been removed and the gum tissue has begun to heal, a conventional denture is ready for placement in the mouth about eight to 12 weeks after the teeth have been removed.  Unlike conventional dentures, immediate dentures are made in advance and can be positioned as soon as the teeth are removed.  As a result, the wearer does not have to be without teeth during the healing period.  However, bones and gums shrink over time, especially during the healing period following tooth removal.  Therefore a disadvantage of immediate dentures compared with conventional dentures is that they require more adjustments to fit properly during the healing process and generally should only be considered a temporary solution until conventional dentures can be made.
• Partial Dentures - usually consists of replacement teeth attached to a pink or gum-colored plastic base, which is connected by metal framework that holds the denture in place in the mouth.  Partial dentures are used when one or more natural teeth remain in the upper or lower jaw.  A fixed (permanent) bridge replaces one or more teeth by placing crowns on the teeth on either side of the space and attaching artificial teeth to them.  This “bridge” is then cemented into place.  Not only does a partial denture fill in the spaces created by missing teeth, it prevents other teeth from changing position.  A precision partial denture is removable and has internal attachments rather than clasps that attach to the adjacent crowns.  This is a more natural-looking appliance.
• Dentures over implants - has special built-in tabs, so that you can attach the denture to the implants and it is therefore very stable and comfortable.  

The procedure takes about three to six weeks and several appointments and begins with a wax bite impression of your mouth that will give your dentist exacting measurements.  A try-on appointment will fine tunes color, shape, and custom-fit.  After your final dentures are fabricated, they will be placed and informed of their required care.