A denture that is fit immediately following tooth loss or extraction can be placed in a variety of ways. The most common denture for one or two teeth is a partial that is affixed with clasps attached to healthy abutment natural teeth. The downside is that the gum tissue will start to shrink where the natural tooth was resulting in the denture eventually losing its good fit.
For a complete denture placed when all the upper or lower teeth are missing, shrinkage can occur and the denture can slip or start to rub. The denture can be relined at this point, which may provide a solution. Relining involves the dentist removing the plastic lining of the denture, creating a new cast of the oral arch and sending the denture to the lab to have a new lining made and attached to the existing denture. This process can be completed same day.
For the patient that desires a closer feel to natural, dental implants is a process that will restore the aesthetics and function as close to natural that is possible. Although more costly than traditional dentures, dental implants are permanent and have proven to successfully last a lifetime.
When placing one dental implant, the titanium unit is imbedded in gum tissue where the tooth has been lost. While the implant area heals, the implant will fuse to surrounding bone tissue to provide strength and stability to the final restoration that will ultimately cover it.
For patients dealing with replacing an entire arch, a denture can be fit utilizing a method called ‘All-on-4’ dental implants. A customized denture is fabricated and the dentist will place four dental implants. In this process, the implants are embedded at a specific angle to provide a secure fit for the denture that is attached right away.
The shrinkage that occurs following tooth loss is due to bone disintegration and with the titanium implants, the bone is maintained and in many cases will be enhanced following implant placement. No shrinkage means a natural appearance and better fit for a permanent tooth replacement to last a lifetime.
Contact our skilled dental team to find out more about your options today.
