What Are Dentures? [Complete Resource Guide]

What are dentures? Dentures are removable prosthetic devices designed to replace missing teeth and restore your smile and oral functionality. Whether you’re missing a few teeth or an entire set, dentures can significantly enhance your quality of life by improving your ability to eat, speak, and smile with confidence.

In this complete resource guide, we’ll explore the various types of dentures available, features, and commonly asked questions.

Types of Dentures

Full Dentures

Full dentures offer a practical solution for replacing an entire arch of natural teeth. They not only restore all of your missing teeth but also compensate for the soft tissue and bone loss that occurs after tooth loss. Complete artificial teeth dentures can help maintain your facial structure, preventing a sunken appearance and ensuring a beautiful, natural look for years to come.

At European Denture Center, our full dentures are crafted by expert denturists and dentists using a state-of-the-art denture lab. These dentures are designed to fit comfortably in your mouth, allowing you to speak and eat with ease. While high-quality materials and premium denture adhesive should be used sparingly, they help ensure your dentures stay securely in place, even when eating hard foods.

What is the cost of full dentures with extractions?

The cost of full dentures with extractions can vary depending on several factors, including the type of dentures, the materials used, and the complexity of the extraction process. On average, you can expect to pay a minimum of around $3,000 for full dentures with extractions.

What are the full denture features?

European Denture Center offers a range of full dentures to suit different needs and budgets, all crafted with quality craftsmanship for an excellent fit.

The Implant Denture, starting at $2,095 per denture, is designed to attach to existing dental implants, providing stability and comfort without the need for adhesives.

The Digital Denture, priced between $895 and $1,985 per arch, offers superior fit and comfort with options for milled or 3D-printed bases and multi-layered resin or porcelain teeth.

The Signature Denture, at $1,695 per arch, combines a great fit with customizable tooth shapes and shades for a natural appearance.

The Premium Denture, costing $1,295 per arch, balances durability and aesthetic customization at a mid-range price.

Finally, the Essential Denture, starting at $695 per arch, is ideal for cost-conscious patients and those considering future denture implants, offering a blend of tooth shades and essential features without compromising on quality.

Implant Dentures

An implant-supported denture is a specialized denture attached to dental implants anchored in your jawbone, rather than resting on your gums like traditional dentures. This implant surgery ensures a secure fit, allowing you to chew, smile, and speak confidently without the need for denture adhesives or worrying about slippage.

If you have lost all your natural teeth but still have enough healthy jawbone to support multiple dental implants, an implant-supported denture can usually be crafted. Special attachments in the denture base snap onto the implant abutments, providing a stable and secure fit, ideal for your oral health.

Implant-supported dentures can be used in the upper or lower jaw, but are more commonly used in the lower jaw, where patients often experience more difficulty keeping conventional dentures in place. Implant-retained fixed dentures can also be highly effective in the upper jaw if desired.

What is the difference between implant-supported and implant-retained dentures?

Implant-supported dentures are attached to dental implants that are surgically placed in the jawbone. These dentures can be removable or fixed, depending on your preference. Implant-retained dentures, on the other hand, are also supported by implants but are designed to be removable.

They typically snap onto the implants using special attachments, providing added stability while still allowing for easy removal and cleaning.

What is a mini-implant?

Mini-dental implants are a smaller version of traditional titanium dental implants. They provide a permanent solution for preserving the jawbone and replacing missing teeth with an implant-supported denture. These implants are ideal for patients who wear or plan to wear dentures and seek the benefits of denture stabilization but may not have enough bone density to support full-sized implants without undergoing bone grafting surgery.

What are the dental implant healing stages?

Recovery from dental implant surgery varies for each patient. Here’s a summary of the healing stages:

• Initial Recovery Phase:
  • Healing time varies based on implant location, number, other procedures (e.g., extractions), age, and overall health.
  • Expect mild discomfort, soreness, swelling, and bruising in the first few days, managed with ice packs and prescribed medications. Soft tissue typically heals within a few weeks.
• Diet Changes:
  • Consume soft foods and brush gently for the first few days. Discomfort from stitches may occur but usually resolves after removal.
  • Resume normal diet and routine within 7 to 10 days, with gradual improvement.
• Complete Healing:
  • Full integration of implants with the jawbone usually takes four to six months. Most patients experience no symptoms beyond the initial two weeks and can return to normal activities.
  • Follow-up care may include healing checks, denture adjustments, and temporary relines.
• Implant Rejection:
  • Despite a high success rate (over 95%), implant failure can occur, often within the first three to four months. Monitor for warning signs of potential issues.

Partial Dentures

Partial dentures are ideal if you are missing a few teeth in a row but still have some remaining natural teeth. These removable dentures fill the gaps left by missing teeth and prevent adjacent remaining teeth from shifting. The final denture can be easily detached for daily cleaning.

There are various types of partial dentures, each designed to tackle specific issues. Examples include flexible partial dentures, implant-supported partials, unilateral partials, single-tooth partials, fixed rigid partials with clasps, and mixed-supported partials.

Depending on your specific needs, our denture dentists can help determine if a single lower partial denture, an upper partial denture, or a temporary partial denture is the right solution for you.

What is a dental flipper?

A dental flipper is a temporary partial denture used to replace one or a few missing teeth. It’s also known as acrylic removable partial denture is an attractive prosthetic tooth option. It rests on your lower jaw or fits along your mouth palate, and usually has one or more prosthetic teeth connected to it.

What are the types of partial dentures?

Different types of removable partial dentures offer unique benefits for various needs:

• Cast Metal Partial Dentures
  • High-quality resin teeth on a Wironium or titanium framework and consists of replacement teeth attached with secure metal clasps or precision attachments. Durable for 7 to 10 years; ideal for replacing multiple teeth and provides a rigid fit. Priced from $1,495 per arch with a 7-year warranty.
• Flexible Partial Dentures
  • Made from thin, nylon-based Valplast resin with tissue-colored clasps. Comfortable and aesthetic, suited for temporary or unilateral use, they typically last about 5 years. Priced from $1,495 per arch with a 2-year warranty.
• Flipper Partial Dentures
  • Economical and quick solution for one or two missing front teeth. These false teeth are available in acrylic resin or Valplast. They’re not ideal as a long-term solution; acrylic versions may need adhesives. Acrylic front tooth flippers start at $310 per arch.
• Acrylic Partial Dentures
  • Economical and used as a temporary replacement with a pink acrylic base. Suitable for immediate use post-extraction but less durable and may affect speech. Priced from $895 per arch with a 1-year warranty.
• Acetal Resin Partial Dentures
  • Tooth-colored resin framework for a natural look. Slightly flexible and blends with natural teeth, though less durable. Priced from $1,695 per arch with a 3-year warranty.
• Hybrid Partial Dentures
  • Combines Valplast flexibility with the stability of cast metal. Offers a natural appearance with the comfort of flexible materials. Custom-designed and more expensive, starting at $1,895 per arch with a 5-year warranty.

Immediate Dentures

Immediate dentures, also known as same-day dentures, are fitted right after tooth extractions. This approach allows you to leave the clinic feeling renewed and ready to continue your transition to permanent dentures.

The procedure for immediate dentures differs from conventional dentures because impressions are taken before the teeth are removed. This enables the creation of dentures that can be placed immediately after extraction. At European Denture Center, we perform extractions and fit same-day dentures, ensuring you leave the clinic looking refreshed and feeling renewed.

What is the process for getting immediate dentures?

The immediate denture process generally follows these key steps:

• Teeth Removal: After ensuring comfort with anesthesia, the dentist removes your teeth and performs any necessary oral surgery to prepare for your temporary dentures.
• Place Immediate Dentures: While still numb, your dentist will fit and adjust the immediate dentures to minimize irritation and ensure proper contact with your gums, which helps control bleeding and start the healing process. Adjustments or relining may be needed.
• Healing Stage: Recovery varies by patient, with initial healing involving clot formation and tissue growth. Full recovery can take from three to twelve months as your jawbone and gum tissue remodel.
• Place Permanent Dentures: Once healing is complete, impressions of your gums and jawbone are taken to create new dentures. You’ll preview a trial denture to adjust appearance and fit before the final dentures are made and delivered.

What is the immediate dentures recovery process like?

Keep your immediate dentures in place for 24 hours after insertion to allow your tissues to adapt and heal properly, ensuring better stability. If bleeding occurs, remove the dentures briefly (up to 20 minutes) to apply pressure with moistened gauze, but reinsert them promptly. Removing the dentures for too long can lead to swelling and difficulty in reinserting them.

Remember, pain relief won’t come from removing the dentures. Initial healing of the extraction sites takes about six to eight weeks, while complete recovery and bone remodeling can take six to eight months.

Why Choose European Denture Center?

For years, European Denture Center has been renowned for providing comfortable, precision-fit dentures.

We are a trusted denture care center with locations in Boise, Idaho; Caldwell, Idaho; and Everett, Washington. Our knowledgeable and experienced denture dentists and denturists will guide you through every step of the process. Our unique portfolio of complete dentures, created in our dental lab, ensures exceptional results at affordable prices.

Call us to discover how our full dentures can give you a beautiful new smile. Book your free consultation today!