If you have lost several of your teeth, or most of them, then you likely need a denture to prevent serious complications for your overall health. In today’s blog, your El Paso, TX, dentist discusses how we create a custom-made prosthetic, and the difference between full and partial dentures, and removable and implant-secured options too.
Full and Partial Removable Options
The options you’re likely most familiar with are removable, meaning you take them out for soaking and cleaning. While effective, these do need replacement every 5 to 10 years as the jaw ridge changes shape. These changes occur as the body suspends the flow of key nutrients to the jawbone following tooth loss, causing a loss of mass and density with time.
A full replaces every tooth on one or both arches, and consists of the replacement teeth set in a base made from acrylic, a base that is deigned to look like gum tissue. Natural suction keeps them in place and some patients may also use a special adhesive. A partial addresses gaps in the smile that are spread out across the arch. The new teeth will again be set in an acrylic base, but metal clasps will attach to natural teeth to secure them.
Implant-Secured
As the name implies, this option isn’t secured with suction or clasps, but is instead anchored with several dental implants per arch. The implants are small screw-like devices that are surgically inserted into the jawbone. They bond with the bone tissue through osseointegration and are accepted by the body as natural roots. The flow of nutrients resumes, and the jaw ridge doesn’t change shape due to loss of mass and density. As a result, your prosthetic, whether full or partial (or bridge) lasts for decades to come, potentially even a lifetime.
Creating Your Prosthetic
The prosthetic itself, whether secured with suction, clasps, or dental implants, will be custom-made to ensure a comfortable fit and a lifelike appearance. After all, you want your new smile to look natural and reflect your facial structure. We do this by taking detailed impressions and images of your smile, using them to design and fabricate a final product that improves the beauty, function, and stability of your smile. If you have any questions about treating tooth loss, or about which option will be right for your smile, then contact our team today.
TALK TO SUNNY SMILES IN EL PASO, TX ABOUT DENTURES
At Sunny Smiles in El Paso, TX, we want to restore the function, health, and beauty of your smile with our custom prosthetics. To learn more about treating severe tooth loss, then contact your El Paso, TX, dentists at Sunny Smiles on Dyer Street by calling 915-859-7000.