Partial vs. Full Dentures: Which Is Right for Me?
If you have a single missing tooth or multiple missing teeth, there are many treatment options to choose from. If you are missing multiple teeth, your restoration options include dental bridges or dentures. When it comes to dentures, we offer partial or full dentures depending on your needs. But many patients wonder which option is right for them. Here, the team at Gooch Family Dental in Birmingham, AL, discusses the differences between partial versus full dentures.
Partial Dentures
If you're only missing some of the teeth in your mouth, you are a possible candidate for dental bridges or partial dentures. Both of these restoration types can be attached to dental implants or to the structures within the mouth. Dental bridges are ideal for patients who are missing a single tooth or a span of consecutive teeth within the mouth. Partial dentures are ideal for patients who are missing teeth in different areas of the mouth. During a consultation at our Birmingham practice, we can determine if a dental bridge or a partial denture will best suit your needs.
If we determine that you are a good candidate for partial dentures without implants, we will design a restoration made of an acrylic base, paired with natural-looking artificial teeth that will fill in the gaps in your smile. In this case, the partial denture will attach to the natural teeth that still remain in your mouth, securing it in place.
If you decide to replace the missing teeth in your mouth with dental implants and a partial denture, we will secure the artificial teeth directly to the implants and their abutments. Not only does this make the restoration more stable, it eliminates the need for the acrylic base and does not rely on the natural surrounding teeth to stay in place.
Full Dentures
Full dentures are designed to replace an entire arch of missing teeth in the upper or lower part of your mouth. Like partial dentures, they can be secured to dental implants or custom designed to securely fit on top of your dental arches. A traditional full denture is made of an acrylic base and high quality porcelain teeth that are crafted to look natural and function like real teeth. The traditional denture relies on a combination of a great fit, suction, and dental adhesives to remain in place.
A full denture can also be secured to dental implants. At our practice, we use a 3-D cone beam scanner to pinpoint the ideal locations for implants in your jaw. Then, an advanced 3-D printer creates a customized surgical guide based on measurements of your mouth so Dr. Gooch can accurately position the implants.
Over the next three to six months, your jawbone, ligaments, and gum tissues will grow around the implants. Once this process is complete, the abutments, or hardware, that will be used to secure the denture to the implants will be placed just below the gumline. After a healing period of about two weeks, the custom, full denture can be attached to the abutments to restore your smile.
Contact Gooch Family Dental
To find out if partial or full dentures are right for you, and whether dental implants should play a role in your treatment plans, contact Gooch Family Dental in Birmingham today.
