Dentures

Full or partial dentures are removable false teeth that you can wear all the time, or just when you choose.

They are designed to replace you own lost teeth in both looks and performance.

They also give support to your lips and cheeks, so your facial appearance is maintained.

If you need dentures but have already ‘lost’ your original teeth, we suggest bringing some photos of yourself to your appointment, so we can see what you would like to achieve.

You may need dentures if you lose several teeth in an accident or if they need extracting because of tooth decay or gum disease.

Depending on your oral health and how many teeth are involved a dental bridge or dental implant may be viable alternatives.

Before fitting dentures, we normally recommend waiting 6 months after the loss of your teeth, to give your gums time to shrink back and become stable – otherwise your dentures will not fit properly.

If you have dentures fitted too soon, they will almost certainly need adjustment or even replacing during the first year. We can advise you on the best course of action.

The process and how long it takes depends on the type of dentures you need, but typically it may include the following:

• Extracting one or more teeth
• Taking impressions of your remaining teeth
• Creating a wax bite mould to check that your biting action is comfortable.
• Choosing the shapes and colours for your new teeth
• Creating wax models so you get a good idea of how your final denture will look and work
• Fitting your final denture and making sure it is comfortable
• Explaining how to care for your denture.

It takes time to get used to wearing dentures – and good oral hygiene and denture hygiene will be very important.