Acrylic Dentures
A denture is a removable appliance fabricated for missing teeth and surrounding tissues.
There are two types of dentures available, complete, or full dentures, and partial dentures. Complete dentures are made when all the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain.
Complete Dentures
Complete dentures can be either “conventional” or “immediate.” Made after the teeth have been removed and the gum tissue has begun to heal, a conventional denture is ready for placement in the mouth about eight to 12 weeks after the teeth have been removed.
Unlike conventional dentures, immediate dentures are made in advance and can be positioned as soon as the teeth are removed. As a result, the patient does not have to be without teeth during the healing period. However, bones and gums shrink over time, especially during the healing period following tooth removal. Therefore a disadvantage of immediate dentures compared with conventional dentures is that they require more adjustments, normally in the form of a reline, to fit properly during the healing process
Partial Dentures
A partial denture usually consists of replacement teeth attached to a pink or gum-coloured acrylic base, which is sometimes connected by metal framework that holds the denture in place. Partial dentures are used when one or more natural teeth remain in the upper or lower jaw. Not only does a partial denture fill in the spaces created by missing teeth, it prevents other teeth from changing position.