Full and partial dentures in Pearisburg

Full or partial denture?

A full denture replaces every tooth in the upper or lower jaw and rests on the gums. An upper denture is held by its close fit against the roof of the mouth. A lower one has far less to hold onto, which is why lower dentures are the ones people struggle with.

A partial denture replaces some teeth and clips onto the ones you still have, which keeps them from drifting into the gaps. It can replace teeth in several places at once. Where only one tooth is missing, a bridge or an implant may suit you better, and we will say so.

What getting dentures involves

It starts with an exam of your gums, the teeth you have left and the bone underneath. If any teeth need extractions or gum disease needs treating first, we explain the order of treatment and what to expect while you heal, before anything is started.

Next come records: the shape of your gums, how your jaws meet, and the size and shade of teeth that suit your face. Before the denture is finished there is a try-in, with the teeth set in wax, so you can see how they look, check the bite and hear how you sound. Changes are easy at that stage, so say what you think.

When the finished denture goes in, expect to come back for adjustments. Easing the spots where it presses is a normal part of the process, not a sign that something went wrong.

What are the first weeks with dentures like?

New dentures feel big at first, and your mouth takes time to accept them. All of these are normal and settle with practice:

• Sore spots where the denture presses. Come in and have them eased rather than putting up with them or filing the denture yourself.
• Speech that sounds a little different. Reading aloud at home gets your tongue and lips used to the new shape.
• More saliva than usual for a while.
• Eating that takes practice. Start with soft food cut into small pieces, and chew on both sides at once so the denture stays level.

How do you take care of dentures?

Clean the denture every day, out of your mouth, with a soft brush and a denture cleaner. Ordinary toothpaste is too abrasive and leaves scratches that collect stain and bacteria. Rinse it after meals when you can, and handle it over a folded towel or a sink of water, because a denture dropped on a hard floor can break.

Take it out at night. Your gums need time without pressure on them, and a denture worn around the clock can leave them sore and irritated. Keep it in water or a soaking solution overnight so it does not dry out and change shape. Brush any natural teeth you still have, especially the ones a partial clips onto, because plaque collects under the clasps.

Why do dentures get loose over time?

Your gums and the bone under them keep changing after teeth are lost. The bone slowly shrinks because no roots are loading it, so a denture that fitted well at the start gradually stops fitting. The signs are food getting underneath, clicking, new sore spots, and needing more and more adhesive to keep it in.

A loose denture can often be refitted to the shape your gums are now, and sometimes a new one is the better answer. Keep coming in for check-ups even with no natural teeth left: we check the fit and your gums, and every exam includes an oral cancer screening.

Tired of a loose lower denture?

A small number of implants placed in the jaw can anchor a denture so it clips in and stops moving. It still comes out for cleaning, but it stays put while you talk and eat. For people who have fought with a lower denture for years, that is often the change that matters most.

An implant-retained denture needs enough bone to hold the implants, which we check first. If you are weighing the two approaches, implants versus dentures sets out the trade-offs.

Questions patients ask