The importance of good dentures
The eyes, nose and teeth are the focal points of every face as they provide the first impressions of a person's personality. Natural teeth grow in proportion and in harmony with your facial features and your dentures should be made accordingly. Your teeth, or your dentures, have many important functions: to support your facial muscles, to help formulate your speech, and perhaps most importantly to chew your food and start the digestive process. It is very important to chew food properly, as poorly chewed food will take longer to digest, especially for the elderly who could risk problems in the digestive system.
Difficulties in constructing a good set of dentures
Constructing a functional and aesthetically pleasing set of dentures is perhaps the most difficult task in dentstry. We are not only replacing lost teeth, but also tissue matter and bone. In other words, we have to re-create your facial features as they were before the loss of your natural teeth. In most cases we do not know what your teeth looked like, what size they were or what position they were in orginally. We have a few indicatons but mostly we have to rely on our visual and artistic judgement. At the same time we have to use our technical expertise in order to make the denture stable and functional. Denture construction is more art than science.
Types of dentures
There are three main categories, full dentures, partial dentures and immediate dentures. The different types of partly depend on the individuals dental status i.e. whether any natural teeth remain and how recently teeth have been lost.
With a partial denture some natural teeth remain to support the denture while those with a full denture have no natural teeth remaining. An immediate denture is one fitted immediately after the extraction of teeth. This only serves as a temporary denture for up to six months during which time the alveolar bone is resorbing.
Depending on the extent of bine remodelling that takes place during this period the denture will in most cases have to be remade or relined to fit the new shape of the mouth.
How will wearing dentures affect me?
Wearing dentures has a number of implications for the individual which fall into two categories - those relating to individual lifestyle and confidence, and those relating to oral hygiene and dental care.
Dental care
It is well recognized that the wearing of partial dentures, in particular, greatly increases the risk of disease affecting the remaining natural teeth. It is important to follow a thorough cleaning routine, morning and night to ensure adequate dental hygiene. Particular attention must be given to gums and any remaining teeth where they meet the denture, as plaque and debris builds up in these areas.
How easy is it to adjust to wearing them?
All dentures have to be custom made and initially they may feel a little strange. You may also find you produce more saliva than normal but this will settle down soon enough. The time it takes to adjust to wearing new dentures is different for everyone, but you will soon learn how to eat, talk and smile as you would with natural teeth. Some people find it helpful to practice speaking or reading in front of a mirror to help them get used to the position and feel of their dentures.
Choose a time when you are free of social company or public engagements for a few days to have your dentures fitted. This will give you time to lose any self conscious feelings which may be present to start with. Using a carefully selected denture fixative will help you adapt to wearing dentures and give you confidence to eat all the things you enjoyed prior to wearing dentures.
How do I take care of my dentures?
In the same way as your natural teeth, dentures need cleaning morning and night. If you follow this same routine, you can't go far wrong. Pay particular attention to your gums, and any remaining teeth which are in contact with the denture, as plaque and debris build in these areas.
How do I clean my dentures?
Cleaning your dentures regularly with a specialist denture cleaning paste provides a more concentrated cleaning routine due to the manual brushing activity. They will feel much cleaner than with soaking. Physically brushing the denture with help to remove stains and plaque build up as well as removing food particles that may get stuck to the denture.
Can regular toothpaste clean my dentures?
Ordinary toothpastes are not advised. The highly polished surface of new dentures can be damaged by ordinary toothpaste, which can be too abrasive.
* Further information about dentures is available on the valplast dentures page.
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