Differences in False Teeth

Having a healthy, full smile is an important part of leading a healthy life. Missing and decaying teeth can reduce your quality of life and make tasks such as eating and talking difficult. There are many options available to someone looking for a way to replace missing or decaying teeth with new, false teeth.

Full Dentures

• Full dentures are used to completely replace the full set of teeth on the upper or lower jaw, and in some cases, both sets of teeth are replaced using this method. Full dentures are set in an acrylic mouthpiece that is adhered to the gums using a special kind of glue or paste. Improperly fitted full dentures may fall out of the mouth because optimum suction levels are not achieved. It generally takes four visits to the dentist to design, manufacture and properly fit a set of full dentures.

Immediate Dentures

• Immediate dentures are placed into the open socket in the gums directly after the extraction of a tooth. This allows the patient to leave the dentist or oral surgeon's office with a new tooth on the same day. Because shifting can occur as gum swelling goes down and healing occurs, many patients are required to go back for a check-up visit to allow the dentist or oral surgeon to adjust the tooth. This adjustment is required to ensure that the teeth are aligned in the proper place,

Implant Dentures

• Implant-supported dentures are the most secure type of false teeth and are connected to implants that are surgically placed into the jaw bone. The implants are used to hold the dentures in place using abutments and require no suction or adhesives. Detailed cleaning is required on a daily basis to minimize the risk of disease or infection, and sore spots may occur on the gums from the dentures moving slightly during chewing. People who grind their teeth may find that the metal implants or the teeth in the denture may become loose more often.

Partial Dentures

• A partial denture is used to replace one or multiple missing teeth by filling the empty space with false teeth. It is a removable appliance that is generally attached using clasps or crowns with precision attachments. Precision attachments use clasps that are less visible than regular clasps. The teeth and gums are made out of plastic, and the attachment clasps are made of metal. Partial dentures reduce the risk of drifting teeth, tooth decay and problems with eating.