Dental Procedures
Dentures
Dentures
Westwoods Dental offers several types of denture treatment, each with their own benefits and applications. Please click for more information on each denture type:
Complete Dentures
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
A removable partial denture or bridge usually consists of replacement teeth attached to a pink or gum-colored plastic base, which is sometimes 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 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.
Implant-Retained Dentures
Loose dentures can be remedied with the addition of implant anchors placed by a dental surgeon. Your Denturist will fit dentures over implants to provide stability, increased chewing force, reduced tissue irritations, and decreased bone loss.
Implant retained dentures are no longer financially out of reach for the average consumer. Your Denturist will help you in understanding the facts and procedures involved in implant dentistry.
Implant facts
Optimum tooth replacement is achieved with implants. Implants are root replacements. Once implanted into your jaw, the bone and the implant body integrate into one cohesive member and provide a stable and reliable anchor on which a tooth may be fabricated. Implant bodies are also employed as retention abutments used in retaining full or partial dentures. In studies, dental implants are shown to preserve bone and reduce gum tissue loss. Eating, speech and laughter can now be performed with confidence. Patients feel better and gain a new found zest for life, as implants are the closest thing to natural teeth.
Historically, dental implants have a high clinical success rate. Patients who have opted for dental implants often remark how similar the implant feels to their own natural teeth. The patient can enjoy new-found confidence.
Implant benefits
- Improved confidence
- Stability during eating
- Increased preservation of bone
- Decreased gum tissue shrinkage
- Less food seepage under the denture
- Superior esthetics
- Social interactions accomplished with confidence
- A feeling close to that of your natural teeth
- Dietary nutritional benefits
Implant Retained/Supported Dentures
A denture both retained and supported on multiple dental implants.