Dentures and Dental Implants

Dentures and dental implants are a necessity for patients who have lost teeth through decay or accident, but are not covered by many insurance plans. Complete and partial dentures, as well as dental implants, restore both the look and function of missing teeth.

Complete dentures are sets of teeth made from plastic or porcelaine, and set in a plastic frame the same shade as the gums. Complete dentures can be either “conventional” or “immediate”. Conventional dentures are made after the teeth have been removed and gum tissue has begun to heal, and are typically ready for placement in the mouth eight to 12 weeks after teeth have been removed. Immediate dentures are made in advance, and can be placed as soon as the teeth have been removed, meaning the wearer does not have to be without teeth during the healing period. However, since bones and gum tissue can shrink during the healing period, immediate dentures typically require more frequent adjustments, and are better suited as a temporary solution.

Partial dentures consist of replacement teeth attached to a pink or gum colored plastic base, and sometimes a metal framework which holds the denture in place. Partial dentures are used when one or more teeth remain in the upper or lower jaw. Some types use crowns on the teeth on either side of the space, and attaching the artificial teeth to those crowns and cementing everything into place. Partial dentures not only serve in replacing missing teeth, but can also prevent other teeth for changing position.

Dental implants may be used to replace a single missing tooth, lost due to accident or decay. A metal anchor post is inserted into the bone of the jaw before the artificial tooth, made of plastic or porcelain, is placed on the post. Dental implants can either be made removable, or permanently fixed.