Complete Dentures

The first type of denture is the one you typically think about when you think about false teeth. Complete dentures are entire sets of false teeth that can be fitted over the gums when a patient has lost all of his or her teeth. Dentures are typically made from an acrylic-type material that is both strong enough to withstand the pressure of chewing but flexible enough to do so without harming the gums underneath.

There are actually two types of complete dentures, differing the way the treatment proceeds. With conventional dentures, you have to wait 8-12 weeks after you lose your teeth to get the actual dentures from your dentist. There are two reasons for this. First, the dentist needs some time to shape the dentures to fit your month, and secondly, you need to wait for your gum tissue to heal before your mouth is ready for the denture.

Immediate dentures, on the other hand, are created beforehand and can be worn immediately after a tooth or teeth are extracted. Although convenient, immediate dentures have the disadvantage of requiring more adjustments. The shape of a person’s jaw and mouth changes after losing teeth, and immediate dentures aren’t able to accommodate this change like conventional dentures. As a result, immediate dentures are typically treated as temporary solutions that help in the transition period between losing the teeth and getting a conventional denture.