Dental prosthetics
Getting dentures
Dentures replace your missing teeth so you can smile with confidence again. Full dentures are used when all of your teeth are missing. However, in the case of just one or a few missing teeth, you can opt for a partial plate to fill in the spaces. The appliance attaches to the natural, healthy teeth by means of tiny hooks. All dentures must meet three basic criteria:
- Restore function to the jaw
- Allow for proper enunciation
- Re-establish the appearance of the teeth
Denture design
The creation of removable full dentures requires a succession of highly precise phases. In fact, two or more impressions are necessary in order to accurately record the position of the gums, tongue, lips and cheeks.
Dental impressions
Taking impressions is a prerequisite for creating dentures, which will be custom-made by a dental technician in Montreal according to the specifications of the oral surgeon. In some cases, several impressions may be necessary. In the meantime, you’ll benefit from temporary dentures to protect your tooth and maintain your smile until your final dentures are ready. Depending on your situation, there are different types of dentures you can consider.
Different types of dentures
Dental prosthetics are used to replace either part of a tooth or one or more full teeth. There are different types of prosthetics available. Together with your oral surgeon, you will choose the type that’s right for you. You’ll be offered temporary dentures to protect your tooth and to ensure discretion while the oral surgeon is working on your case.
Dentures affixed to the teeth
A severely damaged tooth can be reconstructed with fixed dentures. A prosthetic crown can replace the visible portion of the tooth in its entirety. Since it covers the whole tooth, it serves to consolidate it. When one or more teeth are missing, they can be replaced by a bridge, which is affixed to the neighboring teeth.
Removable dentures
You can put these dentures in and take them out at will. They can take the form of a partial plate or a full set of dentures. A partial plate can only be used to replace certain teeth. It is supported by the gums and remaining teeth by means of hooks. Removable full dentures replace all of the upper or lower teeth and are supported entirely by the gums.
Removable full dentures
Removable full dentures can be used to replace all of the upper or lower teeth. You can put them in and take them out at will.
Partial plates
Partial plates are used to replace just part of the upper or lower teeth. You can put them in and take them out at will.
Dental prosthetics on implants
These types of dental prosthetics include crowns and bridges that are directly bonded or screwed into dental implants. Removable dentures on implants: these removable full dentures or partial plates are stabilized by dental implants through attachments that often resemble tiny push buttons.
Resin dentures
Using an impression taken at the dentist’s office, the dental lab can make a pink resin plate in which artificial teeth made of resin or ceramic are integrated. Small hooks that are strategically positioned on the prosthesis help stabilize it and hold it in place while you’re chewing or speaking. The appliance is supported by the gums alone. These resin dentures are quick and easy to make. They’re also less expensive and are often used as temporary dentures during the time it takes for the gums to regenerate (from three to nine months).
Dentures with a metal base
These more elaborate devices are better at preserving the gums and remaining teeth. In general, it will be necessary to take two successive impressions, which will be used to create the dental prosthesis on a metal armature. It resembles a skeleton and serves as a scaffold to support the pink resin and artificial teeth. Thanks to the metal framework, these dentures can be supported not only by the gums but also by the teeth. As a result, the biting force is better distributed. In order to stabilize the appliance, the remaining natural teeth in contact with the hooks may be slightly altered or even crowned if they’re particularly fragile
Posts
Posts make it possible to reconstruct broken or severely damaged teeth. A post is a prosthetic device that enables reconstructing the visible part of the tooth, while also serving as a support for the placement of a crown.
In the case of severely damaged teeth (cracked or with major cavities), it’s often impossible to put a crown on the surviving fragment. However, a post can be used to consolidate the tooth. The metal piece is anchored to the root of the tooth, while the exposed part will serve as a support for the future crown.
Main indications
A post is indicated whenever a classic restoration proves to be insufficient, whether in terms of mechanical resistance or in terms of the necessary surface area to provide support.
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- It can provide reinforcement for a tooth to receive a crown.
- Before a post can be implanted, the tooth must be devitalized.
- The professional will perform an appropriate treatment to remove the remaining dental pulp and prepare the canals to receive the post.
- Once the post is implanted, the practitioner will take an impression so that the dental lab technicians can create a custom crown. The crown will then be bonded to the post, just as if it were being placed on a reconstituted tooth.
In addition to providing stronger resistance to the mechanical forces of the jaw, a post ensures that the canal filling remains impermeable. It also ensures a solid junction between the root and the crown. Like other materials used in the mouth, posts can be made of precious metals or titanium.
Follow-up
When using removable full dentures for the first time, you should anticipate an adaptation period, especially when it comes to eating. Over the weeks following placement of the prosthesis, numerous adjustments may be necessary in order to fine-tune its shape and ensure optimum comfort. With time, it’s possible for the gums and jawbone to weaken, leading to a loss of stability in the dentures. A dental technician in Montreal can remedy this situation by rebasing the dentures, filling in the empty spaces between the prosthesis and the gums.
Our tips
If you’re wearing removable dentures for the first time, it will take you a little while to get used to them. We’re here to guide you and make any necessary modifications to improve your comfort. Follow-up appointments and minute adjustments to the appliance will facilitate the adaptation period.
