Dentures are an excellent way for patients to restore the functionality and appearance of their smile when they are missing several teeth.

What are dentures?

Dentures are custom-made, removable replacement options for missing teeth and the surrounding tissues.

There are different types of dentures available, with partial and complete dentures available to suit each patient’s individual needs.

A partial denture

Consists of a gum-coloured plate with a series of prosthetic teeth attached to it. It fixes onto a few of your natural teeth with metal clasps to hold it in place.

This option is used when one or several natural teeth remain in your upper/lower jaw.

Complete dentures

This option replaces all the teeth in your upper jaw, lower jaw, or both.

If you have conventional complete dentures inserted, then the dentures will usually be ready about 8-12 weeks after your initial dental appointment when your teeth are removed for the fitting. However, f you have immediate conventional dentures they can be fitted as soon as the teeth have been removed.

Are dentures a good option for me?

Dentures are a popular solution for those who suffer from significant tooth loss – though it is vital you still have a sufficient amount of healthy tissue surrounding the gums for the dentures to work effectively.

This is something which can be evaluated by your dentist during a consultation meeting – where we can also explore alternative options suitable for you.

Some additional benefits of dentures include:

• Can help boost your self-esteem if you have missing teeth
• Support your facial muscles
• Can improve speech issues
• Patients with missing teeth can eat food they otherwise would not be able to chew
• Provides one of the most affordable options to treat missing teeth

What does the dentures procedure entail?

If you have any natural teeth remaining, your dentist may extract them under a local anaesthetic, so that the dentures can be fitted properly.

The most common dentures option, immediate dentures, will be produced ahead of time, so you won’t have to be without your teeth.

However, the gums often change shape as they heal following tooth extraction, so your dentist may need to remake or realign your dentures after a few months.

Alternatively, you can opt for implant-retained dentures.

Your dentist will embed a small number of dental implants into your jaw to provide additional security and stability for your dentures. Implant-retained dentures can either be fixed or removable.

If you would like to discuss your option for dentures with your dentist, call us on 020 8224 7562 to book an appointment.