Patient Testimonials

Dentures and Partials

Complete dentures and partial dentures are appliances that are inserted in the mouth to replace natural teeth and provide support for the cheeks and lips.

Most dentures and partials are made of acrylic and can be fabricated two different ways.

• A conventional denture is made after all teeth have been extracted and the tissues (gums) have healed.
• An immediate denture is fabricated and inserted immediately after the teeth are extracted and the tissues are allowed to heal under the denture.
• An upper denture has acrylic, usually flesh colored, that covers the palate (roof of the mouth).
• A lower denture is shaped like a horseshoe to leave room for the tongue.
• A partial denture is made to replace extracted teeth when there are still healthy teeth remaining.

The teeth are made of plastic, porcelain or a combination thereof. Dentures and partials can be attached to implants to allow for a more secure fit of the appliance.

Dentures and partials over a normal course of time will wear and need to be replaced or relined in order to keep the jaw alignment normal. The alignment will slowly change as the bone and gum ridges recede or shrink due to the extraction of the teeth. Regular dentist examinations are still important for the denture and partial wearers so that the oral tissues can be checked for disease or change.