Dentures

What are partial dentures?

Partial dentures are replacements for one section of your teeth. A partial denture allows you to speak, chew, and reclaim your appearance without requiring surgery. The three kinds of partial dentures are:

Plastic 

Plastic partial dentures are all plastic with no metal components.

Hybrid

Plastic-metal hybrid dentures have a metal frame covered by plastic.

Valplast®

Valplast denture are most often used in combination with a metal frame, which is very durable. Valplast partial dentures are made of a flexible thermoplastic material that's biocompatible with your mouth tissues. This type of partial denture is particularly comfortable because it's so flexible. Valplast partial dentures may have some metal components based on how large the denture is and where you need replacement teeth.

The Saugus Dental Laser Center team can help you determine which kind of partial denture suits your situation best.

What are complete dentures?

Complete dentures are full arches of replacement teeth. An upper denture replaces all teeth in your upper arch, and a lower denture replaces all the teeth in your bottom arch. 

Some patients need dentures for both arches, while others may replace just their upper or lower teeth.

Conventional complete dentures

For conventional complete dentures, your Saugus Dental Laser Center dentist does all the necessary teeth extractions and prepares your mouth for dentures. Then, you have a waiting period that can last several months while your mouth heals. In cases where the patient already has dentures which are broken or dont fit, new dentures can be fabricated.

During this time, it's normal to experience some tissue and bone shrinkage. Then, after these changes are complete, your dentist creates new custom dentures based on your exact mouth measurements. 

Immediate complete dentures

For immediate complete dentures, your dentist does the necessary teeth extractions and then places your new dentures on the same day. Immediate dentures offer the advantage of never being without teeth, but this type of denture doesn't always fit perfectly due to tissue and bone changes as you heal. 

To account for these changes, you need more frequent appointments at Saugus Dental Laser Center so the team can do denture relines where they shape the denture base to fit your mouth better.

To decide which type of complete dentures are right for you, it’s important to consider how much being without teeth for a while bothers you and how willing you are to come in for extra appointments if you choose immediate dentures. 

How do dentures compare to dental implants?

While dental implants are permanent, you have to remove dentures for cleaning. Dental implants are more expensive, but over time, the cost compared to dentures evens out because you need to have a relining every few years. You may also need denture rebasing (a new denture base) at some point. 

Both implants and dentures are excellent choices for a natural-looking teeth replacement, so it’s really up to you, which works best for your life and budget.

Book your consultation at Saugus Dental Laser Center by calling the office or using the online booking tool.