Sunnybrook Dental - Sioux City, Iowa

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Dentures & Removable Partial Dentures
A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth. There are 2 kinds of dentures – a complete denture, used when a patient is missing all of their natural teeth and a removable partial denture, which is used when patient still have some of their natural teeth remaining. It is made of acrylic resin and sometimes in combination with various metals. A denture improves a patients ability to chew their foods, speak correctly and it provides support for the muscles of the face, enhancing a patient’s appearance and smile. A complete denture can be made to replace an existing denture that has significant wear or is in disrepair or it can be made to be inserted immediately after the remaining natural teeth have been extracted. If a denture is made to be inserted immediately after the natural teeth have been extracted, it may need to be relined after the tissues have shrunk and healed, in about 6 to 8 weeks, to aid in retention of the denture.		A removable partial denture uses some of the natural teeth that are remaining as supporting structures for it. It consists of a pink acrylic base that is connected to a metal framework. The metal framework has clasps that attach to the natural teeth, aiding in the stability of the partial denture. In order to make a denture, it consists of multiple visits over the course of one to two months. Impressions are taken and a dental laboratory fabricates the framework of the denture. The patient will need to return for multiple visits to check the fit of the framework, the positioning of the teeth and the overall esthetics of the partial denture. Dentures are an excellent way to replace missing teeth. However, they because they are removable, you do not get the stability and chewing efficiency that a person would have with their natural teeth, an implant or a fixed bridge. Sore spots can develop in areas where a denture rubs against the gum tissue, but these are easily treated through an adjustment at the office. .