Dentures and Partial Plates
Teeth don’t always last a lifetime. Age, trauma, disease, and decay can remove natural teeth sooner than expected.
Dentures can be replacement for missing teeth that can be removed and put back into your mouth as you please.
Dentures and Partial Plates
Dentures are removable replacements for missing teeth made out of acrylic resin and at times have porcelain or metal for additional support. Depending on each individual patient case, they may receive full or partial dentures. Full dentures are used when all of the natural teeth are removed from the mouth and replaced with a full set of dentures. There are two types of full dentures.
- Conventional Full Dentures – This is when all the teeth are removed and the tissue is given time to heal before the dentures are placed. It could take a few months for the gum tissue to heal completely, and during this time you will be without teeth.
- Immediate Full Dentures – Prior to having your teeth removed, your dentist takes measurements and has dentures fitted for your mouth. After removing the teeth, the dentures are immediately placed in your mouth. The benefit is that you do not have to spend any time without teeth. You will, however, need to have a follow up visit to refit your dentures because the jaw bone will slightly change shape as your mouth heels. The dentures will need to be tightened after the jaw bone has healed.
Partial dentures are another option when not all of your teeth need to be removed. This is similar to a bridge, but it is not a permanent fixture in your mouth.
What Dentures or Partial plates feel like?
Your dentures may take some time to get used to. The flesh colored base of the dentures is placed over your gums. Some people say that it feels bulky or that they don’t have enough room for their tongue. Other times the dentures might feel loose. These feelings will affect the way you eat and talk for a little while. Over time, your mouth becomes trained to eat and speak with your dentures and they begin to feel more and more like your natural teeth. They may never feel perfectly comfortable, but it is much better than the alternative of not having teeth. Be aware that the very best dentures will only allow you to have 25% of the chewing power you had with all of your own teeth. You will initially feel like you have a mouth full of plastic (and indeed you have). Ulcers may develop in your mouth in the first few months from the denture moving whilst eating, ulcers will require the denture to be adjusted.
Looking after your Denture.
Even though dentures are not real teeth, you should care for them like they are. You should brush them to remove plaque and food particles before removing your dentures. After they have been removed you should place them directly into room temperature water or a denture cleaning solution. Never use hot water because it could warp the dentures. Your dentures are delicate, so make sure you are careful when handling them so you don’t drop them. Also, never try to adjust your dentures yourself. You could ruin them, so you should always seek assistance from your dentist if they feel uncomfortable or loose.
Want more information?
If you have any further questions or queries, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Address
1 Meura Street
Matamata
New Zealand
We are open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
Ample free parking
Wheelchair/scooter friendly access
Applecross House Dentists
We are located at 1 Meura Street, Matamata.
We are members of the NZDA. New Zealand Dental Association, the professional association for New Zealand dentists.
As well as providing services for its members,, the NZDA is the one body able to speak on behalf of NZ dentistry as a whole.
We are very proud supporters of St John New Zealand, who provide an amazing service to our community.
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