Oral Health Care Zone

A denture is a removable set of false teeth that is used to replace missing teeth in the mouth.

A. Purpose

B. Types

Complete denture

To replace all teeth in a dental arch
A complete denture is held in the dental arch by the oral musculature; hence the denture must fit the oral mucosa well
A complete denture can be placed over dental implants by screw attachment devices

Materials
- The denture base can be made of acrylic polymers or gold alloy.
- The false teeth on the denture base can be made of acrylic or porcelain.
Procedures for making a complete denture
- Impressions of the upper and lower dental arches are taken and the bite registration is recorded.
- A mock up denture in wax is fabricated in the dental laboratory.
- The waxed denture is tried in the patient's mouth and adjustment is made accordingly.
- The denture is processed and finished in the dental laboratory.
- The finished denture is inserted in the patient's mouth and adjustments are made accordingly.

Partial denture

To replace some missing teeth in a dental arch
The denture is stabilized in the mouth by metal clasps which extend from the denture base, holding onto the natural teeth
A partial denture can also be held by screw attachment devices to implants.

Materials
- The denture base can be made of acrylic polymer, cobalt chromium or stainless steel.
- The false teeth can be made of acrylic or porcelain.
Procedures for partial denture
- Some of the natural teeth need to be slightly prepared by judicious grinding to suit the denture design.
- Impressions of the upper and lower dental arches are taken and the bite registration is recorded.
- The metallic frame of the denture is fabricated in the dental laboratory, and the false teeth are fixed onto the frame by wax.
- The denture frame is tried in the patient's mouth and adjustment is made accordingly.
- The denture is processed and finished in the dental laboratory.
- The finished denture is inserted in the patient's mouth and adjustments are made accordingly.

C. Points to note about wearing dentures

Initially it may be difficult to get use to a new denture, but you will soon be accustomed to it after wearing it for a period of time.
A new denture may be uncomfortable to wear within the first 6 months. It is not unusual to require some adjustments on the new denture.
Since oral conditions may change with time, a denture may gradually become loose and unfit. Therefore, an oral check-up should be done at least once a year so that the dentist can adjust the denture according to the oral condition.