If you have lost all your natural teeth due to gum disease, decay or injury, complete dentures can replace missing teeth and restore your smile; thus improving your appearance and health. Without dentures, the facial muscles sag, making a person look older. Dentures will enable you to eat and speak better-things people often take for granted until their natural teeth are lost.
There are different kinds of complete dentures. Conventional full dentures are manufactured and placed in the mouth following the removal of the remaining teeth, and once tissues have healed. This process takes several months. On the other hand, an immediate complete denture is placed as soon as the remaining teeth are extracted, which means you will not have to be without teeth during the healing phase. To ensure proper fitting of immediate complete dentures, Dr. Burwell takes measurements and makes models of your jaw during the preliminary consultation.
If you have lost some teeth and the remaining teeth are healthy, a removable partial denture may be indicated. Removable partial dentures usually consist of replacement teeth attached to pink or gum-colored plastic bases, which are connected by metal framework.
Whether you are wearing full or partial dentures, practicing good oral hygiene is essential. Prior to inserting your dentures, it is important that you brush your gums, tongue and palate each morning using a soft-bristled toothbrush. This stimulates circulation in the gum tissues and helps remove plaque.