Dentures replace lost teeth. There are plenty of reasons that you may need dentures, the most common are tooth decay, gum disease or an injury to your mouth resulting in tooth loss. Dentures are also known as false teeth and can be an excellent solution when you need to replace missing teeth.
Dentures look like real teeth and, although they take some getting used to, are very functional and can last for a long time. As you grow or age, your dentures can be adjusted so they continue to fit comfortably. This is called denture relines.
If you’ve found yourself with teeth that need replacing through decay or you’ve lost a tooth due to injury, here’s everything you need to know about getting dentures.
There are lots of different kinds of dentures
Depending on your needs, you can get a full or partial set of dentures. A partial set only replaces the teeth that you’ve lost and sits alongside your remaining, healthy teeth.
You can also have full dentures when all of your teeth have been removed. They replace the teeth on your top and bottom jaw. Whether you get partial or full dentures, they will be custom-made to fit your mouth and matched to the shape and colour of your teeth.
Dentures can be made from multiple materials. Full dentures are usually made from acrylic and partial dentures can sometimes have a metal base on which acrylic false teeth are attached.
Dentures do take some getting used to
These days, dentures are completely customised to an individual’s face shape, teeth size and colour and so are often barely noticeable to an outside observer.
How they feel in your mouth might be a different story as you first start to wear them. Like anything new, they do come with an adjustment period. You may experience a slight lisp as you get used to your new dentures, and there will be some changes to the way you eat, but with time wearing them as you go about your day will become second nature.
You’ll eventually need to get denture relines
No matter what age you get dentures, your mouth continues to change shape as you age and so your dentures will shift and move with your mouth. Your dentures may become loose or fit less well than they did when you first got them. As your dentures loosen it becomes easier for food to get stuck, exacerbating the problem.
Loose dentures are easily fixed and you can organise to get denture relines done to get back to your dentures fitting properly and feeling as good as new.
