What Is a Denture?

Dentures are artificial teeth or gums fixed in your mouth. It is made by your dentist to replace lost, removed, or damaged natural teeth. You can replace dentures either fully or partially. The dentist customizes the dentures to fit well in the mouth and match the color of your original teeth.

Earlier, Dentures were made up of porcelain or plastic materials. However, over time, dentists shifted to hard resin for making them. Moreover, the structure of dentures that resembles the gum line is made from the similar resin used in making teeth. Sometimes, dentists also use flexible polymer materials to perfectly match it with the original gum line.

Types of Dentures

There are two types of Dentures:

1. Partial Dentures

Dentists opt for partial dentures when a few damaged teeth are not sturdy to support any structure. This denture is fixed to the gum line of the damaged tooth and temporarily secured with nearby teeth providing support to prevent it from falling out. The patient can easily remove and clean it before going to bed.

2. Full Dentures

Full dentures or complete dentures are used to replace all of the natural teeth. The dentists either fix it on the top and bottom of the gum line or hold it in place with the help of suction or oral adhesive. Like partial dentures, you can easily remove them for cleaning or while sleeping.

Cleaning and Preservation of Dentures

Like your natural teeth, you need to clean your dentures every day. Bacteria, plaque, and tarter even form in them and could damage the surviving teeth or gums. 

To clean the Dentures, you need to follow the following steps:

• Remove the Dentures from the mouth and rinse them in water to remove any stuck food debris in the gum or underneath it.
• Use a soft-bristle brush or denture cleaner to clean it. Do not use any other toothpaste or cleaner for cleaning.
• Rinse the cleaner properly from the dentures.
• Clean your natural teeth and gum gently with a soft bristle brush and fluoride toothpaste.
• Lastly, place your dentures in the mouth again.

The dentist always suggests removing dentures while sleeping. It helps to prevent them from getting damaged or displaced. It also evenly gives the gums some time to relax. Store them in a glass of lukewarm water to prevent them from drying or misshaping. Use a denture solution only if it is not made of any metal components.

Get dentures from the expert dentists in Rosemont Dental Center, the best dentistry in Frederick, MD. Call us at (301) 663-1144, book online, or visit us at 2090 Old Farm Dr #C for more details and consultations.