Children's Sports and Dental Injuries

Oral Health: Selecting the Right Dentures

5 January 2016 by Lillian Dixon

There are different causes of tooth loss in the human oral cavity. One of the common ones is the congenital absence of the secondary permanent tooth after a milk tooth is removed. This problem is localised, so the tooth can be replaced with an implant-supported alternative. You can also experience tooth loss on a larger scale through trauma after an accident or after affliction by dental diseases.

For instance, periodontal diseases, recurring dental caries and even old age can cause significant loss of teeth. If you have these dental issues, you should discuss the possibility of getting dentures with your dentist. The orthodontic device will replace the missing teeth and the surrounding oral tissues. Here are the main denture types to consider depending on the dental problem.

Complete Dentures

Complete dentures are designed and manufactured to replace all the natural teeth in the upper or lower dental arches. Therefore, they are suitable for your restoration treatment when you have lost all or most of the teeth in either arch. In most cases, the remaining teeth that would affect the fit of the complete dentures are removed. The complete dentures can be classified as immediate or conventional.

As implied, the immediate dentures are placed in the oral cavity immediately after the extraction of the teeth in the arches. Generally, they are made in advance so that you will not be completely without teeth at any point. They are usually temporary because the shape of the supporting gum tissues will change over the healing period. Conventional dentures are placed after the healing of the gum tissues is completed, so they are the permanent option.

Partial Dentures

The partial denture is ideal if you have natural teeth remaining in the dental arches. Ideally, this device will only cover the spaces that have experienced tooth loss, eliminating the need to remove the existing strong teeth. A suitable denture should prevent the natural teeth from shifting in the position, and it should not cause damage in form of abrasion to these surfaces. The replacement teeth are usually placed on a bridge which can be permanent or removable. In most cases, clasps or other forms of metal framework are used to provide the required support.

Implant-Supported Dentures

One of the common problems experienced with standard dentures is retention because the device can shift when chewing or talking. This issue can be eliminated by installing titanium implants or abutments into the jaw for support. These will act as roots, providing the stability required for the dentures during normal oral activities.

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