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Partial Dentures Vs. Full Dentures

Good dental health includes constant cleaning, flossing and dental appointments. However, for some people maintaining good dental hygiene may include replacing two or all of their teeth. Dentures are removable replacements or can be fixed or cemented into place. Patients who need dentures have two options, partial or full dentures.

  1. Partial Dentures

    • Partial dentures, or bridges, have a gum-colored plastic mounted on mental framework. The metal framework attaches to the gums so the dentures won't move or fall out while patients are talking or eating. On top of the pink-colored plastic is one or more of the replacement teeth. Patients who have more than one of their original teeth remaining will chose partial dentures. Say, for instance, when patients replace two original teeth, their dentist will affix crowns on the permanent teeth on either side of the missing teeth. The replacement teeth are cemented to the original teeth. The dentist then attaches the fixed or permanent bridge. Precision partials are removable.

    Partial Disadvantages

    • Partial dentures are expensive depending on the area or areas involved. On average, bridges can cost $1,000 to $3,000. Patients with precision partial dentures require some practice to insert and remove. Partial dentures can be mistakenly swallowed or inhaled.

    Complete Dentures

    • Patients receive complete or full dentures when they have all their teeth removed. The appliances are the same as the partial dentures. They have a metal framework, gum-colored plastic attached to them with the replacement teeth mounted on top of them. Immediate teeth are made before patients have their original teeth removed. Conventional dentures are then permanent.

    Complete Disadvantages

    • Intermediate dentures require more adjustments as the gums shrink during the healing process. Complete dentures take between eight to 12 weeks to return from the factory. Complete dentures can slip or move out of place when patients eat, drink or talk. Also complete denture wearers complain of gum pain. In addition, complete dentures can loosen.

    Considerations

    • Healing of gums and bone takes six to eight weeks to heal after teeth are removed. Denture wearers, in the beginning, may have problems speaking certain words. So they must practice. Don't try to repair complete or partial dentures yourself. Dentists can make the necessary repairs to broken or chipped teeth.

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