Types Of Dentures And How To Care For Them

Posted June 2, 2015.

Are you considering getting dentures? Dentures can be an excellent solution to missing teeth. They help you chew, aid speaking, support your facial muscles, and restore your smile. Here are the different types of dentures you can use and how you should care for them.

Types Of Dentures

If all of your teeth are missing or need removal, then you will use either conventional or immediate dentures.

• Conventional Dentures: These are worn only after the mouth finishes healing from tooth extractions, which can take several months.
• Immediate Dentures: These dentures can be worn immediately after tooth extractions. However, healing usually changes the shape of your mouth, so these dentures often need to be refitted later on.

Teeth support the jaw bone; so if you still have teeth that are in good condition, then they should be left in your mouth. There are dentures that can be used if you still have teeth.

• Overdentures: These dentures cover remaining teeth, which are prepared with protection such as a crown.
• Removable Partial Dentures: Though the remaining teeth are often crowned, they are not covered by this type of denture. Rather the crown is used as a fastening device to hold the dentures in place.

Denture Care

Dentures are subject to the same elements as natural teeth are, and therefore require similar care.

• Rinse dentures with cool water after eating.
• Brush dentures with a denture cleanser and soft-bristle toothbrush once a day.
• Soak dentures overnight.

Even if you no longer have remaining teeth, you still need to keep oral hygiene practices for your mouth.

• Brush your gums gently to clean off plaque.
• Brush and floss any remaining teeth.
• Continue seeing your dentist for 6 month check-ups.