A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissues. There are two types of dentures available: partial dentures and complete dentures. Partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain and complete dentures are used to replace all teeth. Dentures are made to resemble your natural teeth so there should be no noticeable change to appearance. In fact, dentures may even improve a smile!
Complete Dentures – This restoration method is used to restore smile and mouth function if all teeth have been lost. The dentures are custom-created to resemble natural teeth and are positioned into a patient’s mouth to take the place of where the natural teeth used to be. Complete dentures are removable and may require adjustments in order to create a proper fit with the gums and mouth.
Partial Dentures – A removable partial denture is used when one or more natural teeth still remain in the upper or lower jaw. They usually consist of replacement teeth attached to a gum-colored plastic base that is held in place in the mouth. A fixed partial denture is similar to a removable denture, but it is cemented into place using the adjacent teeth for support. This fills the space created by missing teeth and creates a support for remaining teeth in order to prevent shifting.