Dentures
Removable replacements for missing teeth — a full set, or a partial denture filling several gaps.
- Typical appointment
- Several visits over a few weeks
What they are
Dentures are removable appliances that replace missing teeth and the tissue around them.
Complete dentures replace all the teeth in one or both jaws.
Partial dentures fill several gaps and clip onto the remaining natural teeth.
Why they are still a good option
Dentures are the least invasive and least expensive way to replace multiple missing teeth. No surgery, no preparation of neighbouring teeth. Where several teeth are missing across an arch, they often make more sense than bridging every gap.
What is involved
Fitting a denture takes several visits: impressions, a bite registration, a try-in in wax so shape and appearance can be adjusted before it is finished, then the fit itself. The staged approach exists so that changes are made before the denture is made permanent, not after.
The adjustment period — and this is worth knowing in advance
A new denture feels bulky and strange at first. Speech takes a week or two to normalise; reading aloud at home speeds it up considerably. Eating starts with soft food cut small, chewing on both sides, and builds from there. Some sore spots are normal in the first weeks.
Come back for adjustments rather than enduring soreness. Small relief of a pressure point takes minutes and makes the difference between a denture that gets worn and one that lives in a drawer.
Care
Clean dentures over a basin of water or a folded towel — they break easily on a hard sink. Use a denture brush and soap or a denture cleaner, not ordinary toothpaste, which is too abrasive. Leave them out overnight in water so the tissues underneath get a rest.
Keep seeing the dentist even with complete dentures. The gums and bone beneath change shape over years, which is why a denture that fitted well eventually loosens and needs relining or remaking. Oral tissues also need checking.
Alternatives
Implant-retained dentures use two or more implants to hold a denture firmly in place, which solves the stability problem for lower dentures in particular. More expensive, and dependent on adequate bone.