Topics:
Dentures, prosthesis, partial dentures
Partial dentures
How are partial dentures made?
How does it feel while wearing dentures?
Will I be able to talk normally with dentures?
Do dentures hurt?
How do I chew with dentures?
Will dentures change my appearance?
How do I maintain partial dentures?
How long do I have to change dentures?
Dentures:
Dentures, prosthesis, partial dentures
Dentures are mobile restorations that we use to make up for lost teeth.
There are two types – total and partial dentures. We use total dentures for edentulous jaws and partial ones for the so-called toothless, i.e. at the jaw where there are remaining natural teeth.
Partial dentures
We use partial dentures when there are still some of the natural teeth in the jaw to which they are attached.
They mainly consist of a base, a saddle with teeth and connecting elements.
We distinguish between partial plate, skeletal prostheses and as a special group of subtotal prostheses.
Partial plates resemble total dentures, are attached to the remaining teeth with wire hooks and are mainly used as temporary dentures.
Skeletal partial dentures are much better and more advanced variants, they are tied to the remaining teeth with cast hooks that act with directed and controlled forces. Dentures do not have to have hooks, but as a connection with natural teeth, they can have attachments. In order to make attachments, crowns must be made on the teeth. The good thing about attachments is that they are hidden and, unlike hooks, they do not compromise a beautiful smile.
The upper partial dentures have a thin metal base, do not interfere with speech and patients quickly get used to them. Their construction is such that most of the palate is free and not covered with a prosthesis, so the sense of taste is not disturbed. They are very well stabilized and move minimally during meals.
Subtotal dentures use only one or two teeth (or even a root) for their retention and generally represent a transitional solution to a total denture.
How are partial dentures made?
In order for dentures to be done, it is necessary to first repair and clean the remaining teeth. If grinding of natural teeth is not planned as part of the production of the prosthesis, a jaw impression is taken. Further work takes place partly in the dental laboratory and partly in the office where the tests are performed. Each phase is important and should not be skipped. It takes about 4 to 5 visits to the office until the dentures are ready. Partial dentures in which ceramic crowns are made are a combination of fixed and mobile work, which is why their production takes twice as long.
How does it feel while wearing dentures?
With new dentures, it will always be unusual for you in the beginning, and later you will probably get used to it. The most uncomfortable feeling is if you wear total dentures because they are the least stable, bulkier than others and cover the palate and reduce the sense of taste. It feels slightly better when wearing a partial plate, and is best with a partial skeletal prosthesis. Skeletal dentures are more graceful, a palate is open, stable as you chew. That is why patients accept them more easily and the initial habituation lasts shorter.
Acceptance of dentures depends on the comfort they provide, but also on the patient’s motivation. The higher the motivation, the faster and better the habit becomes.
Will I be able to talk normally with dentures?
You will but maybe not at the very beginning. When making a denture, it is very important that the teeth in the denture are placed in their correct position and that the bite height is not significantly raised. It is normal to have difficulty pronouncing individual voices at the very beginning of wearing. However, if the dentures are done correctly with a little practice, you will be able to talk as if they are your natural teeth.
Do dentures hurt?
Generally every prosthesis at the beginning makes a blister in the mouth. The mucous membrane is not accustomed to a foreign body, but the good news is that it gets used very quickly, takes the shape of a prosthesis and becomes comfortable to wear. When you have a blister, you should not wait for it to pass spontaneously, but visit the doctor’s office to get help.
How do I chew with dentures?
If there are a lot of natural teeth left, chewing should not be a problem. But if more teeth are lost and replaced with a denture, you will have certain limitations. While wearing partial dentures, you should chew on both sides. Avoid biting off food with the front dentures, cut smaller pieces of food on the plate and grind with the side teeth. The rule is that the harder the food, you need to cut it into smaller pieces.
Will dentures change my appearance?
If they include the front teeth, they can certainly affect the appearance. If you want, teeth in dentures can copy your natural ones and no one needs to notice that you have it.
How do I maintain partial dentures?
Wear dentures 24 hours a day. Take it out of your mouth after every meal to brush your teeth and dentures. Wash it with a toothbrush and toothpaste. It is useful to occasionally put dentures in a liquid with cleaning tablets.
How long do I have to change dentures?
It is best to change partial dentures every 5 years because that is the period during which the tissue under the dentures changes. After that period, it no longer rests intimately on the tissue, which can lead to its rupture. During the first 5 years of wearing, the prosthesis is adjusted for a year or two in order to ensure good contact between the tissue and the prosthesis and to prevent fractures and other complications.