Find Your Smile

Full and Partial Dentures in Blue Island

If you have lost all or most of your natural teeth, dentures can help restore your smile, speech, and chewing ability. Dentures can also help reduce the sagging appearance that is so common with tooth loss. For many patients, dentures may even represent an opportunity to finally have a great-looking smile after years of dental issues.

For a consultation on dentures in Blue Island and Chicago area, call Bright Smile Family Dental.

Full Removable Dentures

Full removable dentures are the most common dental appliance in use today. This style of denture replaces a full row or “arch” of teeth. The process for full dentures usually involves extracting the remaining teeth and allowing the tissue to heal for several months. Once the tissues have healed, your dentist will take an impression of your arch and submit this to a denture fabrication laboratory.

Full dentures require a rigid framework for the purposes of durability and longevity. The plate which comprises the frameworks of your denture may be crafted from either a hard acrylic resin or another type of polymer, such as a rigid nylon. Chromium cobalt plates are also quite common.

Acrylic or Porcelain?

The teeth and gum materials can be crafted from acrylic or porcelain. Porcelain has several advantages over acrylic. For one, porcelain dentures are fired at high temperatures for maximum durability and longevity. Porcelain is also known to offer superior esthetics in terms of recreating the nuances of natural teeth.

The reason some patients choose acrylic typically has to do with the cost savings. Regardless of the material chosen, dentures should be replaced every seven to ten years to account for loss of jawbone volume and changes in soft tissue. Some patients may also choose acrylic dentures as a stop-gap as they save for a future dental implant procedure.

Immediate Dentures

For patients that would rather not go a day without their teeth, immediate dentures may be a great solution. With this type of procedure, your remaining teeth are extracted and an immediate denture is placed the same day. Immediate dentures act as a bandage while the tissue heals. Since tissues change during the healing process, your immediate dentures may need to be relined or recast within several months of your initial fitting.

Partial Dentures

Want a full smile? Partial dentures can be a great option. Sometimes called “flippers,” partial dentures are removable appliances designed to replace multiple teeth. Usually, partial dentures feature replacement teeth crafted from acrylic or porcelain. These are attached to an acrylic base in a natural gum color. Partial dentures are held in place with clasps that grip the adjacent natural teeth. Like full dentures, partial dentures can be a great help in restoring speech and chewing ability.

Adjusting to Your New Dentures

There is an adjustment period when you wear new denture (or dentures). It will be awkward. After all, there is a foreign object in your mouth. It takes several weeks to adjust. Over time, you will build up muscle memory in your cheeks and tongue, which will help you keep the denture in place. You may also notice increased saliva production and slight gum irritation. Again, these will subside once your mouth acclimates to the presence of your new denture. If, after several weeks, you still find your denture to be uncomfortable, please schedule a checkup with your dentist.

Don't Neglect Your Oral Health

Even without teeth, it is still important to keep your mouth clean and maintain your oral health. Twice a day, brush your gums using a soft-bristled brush. You should also brush your dentures daily to remove any plaque buildup.

Every night before bed, you should soak your dentures in an effervescent cleaning solution formulated for your type of denture.

You may not have any natural remaining teeth, but you are still susceptible to gum and oral diseases such as thrush, gingivitis, yeast infections, and periodontal disease.

Request a Consultation

Ready to complete your smile? Request a consultation with Bright Smile Family Dental — call us today!