Dentures are a classic option to replace missing teeth. Unlike other alternatives, dentures have the benefit of being removable. Depending on your specific needs, our dentist may recommend either partial or full dentures for you. Full dentures are used when all of your natural teeth are missing or need to be removed. Partial dentures are used when some, but not all of your teeth are missing.

Dr. Phan will examine your teeth and make a determination on whether you need full or partial dentures in Alexandria, Virginia.

Types Of Dentures

There are two types of full dentures:

• Conventional full dentures
• Immediate full dentures

Conventional Full Dentures

For conventional dentures, all of your teeth are removed, and the tissue has time to heal before your dentures are placed. It may take a few months for the gum tissue to properly heal, and during this time you will be without teeth.

Immediate Full Dentures

With immediate dentures, your dentist will take measurements of your mouth before removing the teeth, and have dentures fitted for your mouth. After the teeth are removed, the dentist will immediately place the dentures into your mouth. The primary benefit of immediate dentures is that you do not have to go without missing teeth. However, you will need a follow up visit to have the dentures refitted because your jaw bone will change slightly as it begins to heal.We will need to tighten the dentures after the jaw bone has had an opportunity to heal.

Partial Dentures

Partial dentures are an option when some of your teeth need to be removed, but not all of them. Partial dentures are similar to a dental bridge, but it is not a permanent appliance.

Caring For Dentures

Your dentures will take some time to get used to. We place the flesh colored base of your dentures over the gums. Some patients may feel that the dentures feel bulky, or that their isn’t enough room for the tongue. In other cases, the dentures may feel a bit loose. This can affect the way you speak and eat for a little while. However, over time your mouth with become better trained to talk with dentures and they will start to feel like your natural teeth.

Although dentures are not real teeth, you should still take care of them as if they are. That includes brushing to remove plaque and food particles before removing your dentures. Once you have removed your dentures, place them directly into room temperature water or denture cleaning solution. You should never place your dentures in hot water, as it can cause them to warp.

Keep in mind that dentures are delicate, so be careful when handling them so that you don’t drop and damage them. You should also avoid adjusting dentures yourself, because you may ruin them. Always call our dentist if your dentures feel uncomfortable or too loose.