Both dentures and partial dentures are removable prosthetics created to replace missing teeth. Each denture is crafted to resemble the natural tooth or teeth that they replace in both form and function. Complete dentures are meant to replace all of your teeth when most or all of your teeth are missing or have been extracted. Partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain. Dentures serve to restore the function of missing teeth as well as to cosmetically close spaces left by missing or extracted teeth. Because they are not cemented to any teeth or supporting structures in the mouth, both complete and partial dentures are removable and not fixed in place.
When in need of complete dentures there are generally two different options, conventional or immediate.
With conventional dentures, the denture is not made until the teeth have been removed and the gum tissue has healed completely. This healing process can take between 4 and 6 weeks. Once the tissue has healed, the denture fabrication process begins. This generally takes around 6 weeks and involves several trial fittings and design adjustments.
With this process, the denture is made in advance and immediately placed after the teeth are removed. The patient will not go without any teeth for any period of time which is a benefit both cosmetically and functionally. However, because of the extensive healing involved following extractions of teeth, immediate dentures are not considered permanent and my require replacement with conventional dentures once healing has taken place completely.
