Complete & Partial Dentures
Partial dentures
Partial dentures are used to replace several missing teeth at once. They requires healthy, solid teeth to clip on to. It takes longer to accommodate to a partial denture compared to something that is not removed (like a bridge or an implant), but it is often a more economical way to replace several teeth at once. The base is made out of flexible acrylic and they need to be removed at night.
Complete Dentures
These dentures need to be worn when there are no teeth left to anchor a partial denture to. While dentures are never the same as your natural teeth and are a big adjustment and take a lot of patience, the goal of function and aesthetics are attainable. An analogy would be an artificial arm or any other prosthesis: you grow to get used to it, but it’s never the same as the original. This is why we strive to keep as many natural teeth as possible and only extract as a last resort. Due to vastly improved oral hygiene and dental IQ, the need for dentures is not nearly as common as it was in the past.