What Are Dentures?

Dentures are removable appliances that replace missing teeth, made in full sets for a whole arch or partial sets that fit around remaining teeth.

I’m Dr. Gregory Mark, and patients who ask me about dentures in my Forest Hills office usually start by asking which of their teeth can stay. The answer to that question decides which type of denture fits.

What are the types of dentures?

Dentures come in two basic types, full and partial, and each one is held in place by the gums, by remaining teeth, or by dental implants.

A full denture, also called a complete denture, replaces an entire arch of teeth. A partial denture fills the gaps and leaves healthy teeth where they are.

Timing adds another label. The American Dental Association describes a conventional denture as one that is made and placed after the remaining teeth are removed and the tissues have healed, which may take several months.

What are the three types of dentures?

The count of three depends on who is counting. The American Dental Association lists conventional dentures, immediate dentures, and overdentures. Cleveland Clinic lists five: full, partial, immediate, and two implant versions. “Full” and “partial” describe how many teeth a denture replaces, and the other names describe when the denture goes in or what holds it.

What are partial dentures?

Partial dentures replace a few missing teeth while the healthy ones stay. The American Dental Association describes them as replacement teeth attached to pink or gum-colored plastic bases, often with a metal framework and clasps that connect to your teeth. Some partial dentures use precision attachments, which the ADA calls more natural looking than clasps.

What are immediate dentures?

An immediate denture goes in on the same day the remaining teeth come out, so you have teeth while your gums heal. The fit changes as the gums heal. Your dentist adjusts an immediate denture along the way, and some patients move to a conventional denture once healing is finished.

What are permanent dentures?

“Permanent dentures” is a common name for a full arch of teeth fixed to dental implants. Cleveland Clinic uses the term for implant dentures that are non-removable. All-on-4 implants are the fixed version we place at Forest Hills Dental, with four implants holding the arch. Only a dentist can take a fixed arch out, for repairs.

Implant supported dentures at our office are a different appliance. Two to four dental implants sit in the jawbone, and the denture snaps onto them and comes out for cleaning. Some sources use “implant supported” for the fixed kind, so ask which one a treatment plan describes.

Why would a person get dentures?

A person gets dentures to replace teeth that were lost or have to be removed, so chewing, speech, and appearance improve. Cleveland Clinic lists all three among the benefits of dentures, along with better nutrition from being able to chew.

Teeth are lost to advanced gum disease, to injury, and to damage that ends in a tooth extraction.

Tooth loss is more common than patients expect. Federal survey data from 2017 to March 2020 show that about 15% of adults 65 and older have no remaining natural teeth. Needing a denture puts you in very large company.

Age is only part of the picture. I fit partial dentures for patients in their thirties and forties as well, most often after an injury.

How do dentures stay in?

Dentures stay in through a close fit against the gums, clasps on neighboring teeth, or dental implants, depending on the type.

A full upper denture covers the palate, and a thin layer of saliva seals it there. A wet glass lifted off a smooth coaster often brings the coaster up with it, and an upper denture holds for the same reason.

A lower denture has only the gum ridge to sit on, with the tongue moving beside it. Lower dentures are the ones my patients find harder to keep steady.

Muscles matter too. The American Dental Association notes that new dentures may feel loose while the muscles of your cheek and tongue learn to keep them in place. Denture adhesive adds hold for some wearers, and the ADA lists creams, powders, pads, strips, and liquids.

Partial dentures grip differently. Clasps hook around the natural teeth on either side of the gap, and those teeth share the work.

How long do dentures stay in?

Removable dentures stay in during the day and come out at night. Cleveland Clinic recommends leaving them out for at least eight hours every day, and most people do that while they sleep. The ADA’s advice for a denture that is out of your mouth is to keep it covered in water so the material holds its shape.

Not sure which type fits your mouth?

The teeth and bone you still have narrow the choice quickly. Our denture page walks through the options we make at Forest Hills Dental.

See your denture options

What are dentures made of?

Dentures are made of acrylic, resin, nylon, metal, and porcelain, according to Cleveland Clinic, with each material doing a different job.

The pink base that sits on the gums is plastic colored to match them. Partial dentures often add a metal framework underneath for strength and thin metal clasps for grip.

The teeth are chosen for shape and shade. I match them to any natural teeth still in the smile, so a partial denture blends in with its neighbors.

What is the downside of getting dentures?

The main downsides of dentures are movement, an adjustment period, and upkeep as your mouth changes.

Cleveland Clinic reports that people with traditional dentures describe appliances that shift, wobble, or slip out of place when they speak or chew. The same source puts the adjustment period at weeks or sometimes months.

Jawbone shrinks gradually after teeth are lost, according to Cleveland Clinic, and a denture made for last year’s gum ridge fits this year’s ridge a little worse. Relining, which means resurfacing the inside of the denture, restores the fit.

I tell every denture patient about relines at the first visit, so the first loose spell comes as no surprise.

Will dentures change how I eat or speak?

Dentures change both for a while. The American Dental Association says new dentures may feel awkward for a few weeks. Softer foods and smaller bites help in the early days, and reading aloud at home speeds up speech. Chewing with a settled denture beats chewing with missing teeth, and Cleveland Clinic lists improved chewing among the benefits.

How long do dentures last?

Dentures last 7 to 10 years on average, according to Cleveland Clinic. The gums and bone under a denture keep changing over those years, which is why the same source advises a reline every 1 to 2 years.

Daily care protects the denture in between. The ADA’s advice is to brush dentures every day and to keep them covered in water when they are out, so they hold their shape.

A dropped or cracked denture can often be repaired. We look at damaged dentures at Forest Hills Dental and fix them in the office when we can. The rest go to a lab or get replaced.

Are dentures or implants better?

Neither dentures nor dental implants are better for everyone, and the right choice depends on your bone, your health, your budget, and how many teeth are missing.

Conventional dentures are removable and are made without implant surgery. Implants are placed in the jawbone and hold a crown, a bridge, or a denture, so the advantages of dental implants come with a surgical step that dentures avoid.

The two also work together. Implants can anchor a denture, which is how implant supported dentures and All-on-4 arches stay put.

TL;DR

• Dentures are removable appliances that replace missing teeth, in full or partial form.
• Full dentures rest on the gums, partial dentures clasp to remaining teeth, and implant versions attach to dental implants.
• New dentures feel awkward for a few weeks, and full adjustment can take months.
• The average denture lasts 7 to 10 years, with a reline every 1 to 2 years.
• Removable dentures come out for at least eight hours a day, usually overnight.

An exam shows which teeth can stay and which type of denture fits.

Bring your questions to Forest Hills Dental. I’ll look at your teeth, gums, and bone and tell you which options I’d consider in your place.

Book a denture consultation

Frequently asked questions

Are dentures and false teeth the same thing?

Dentures and false teeth are the same thing. “False teeth” and “fake teeth” are everyday names, and “denture” is the dental term. A full denture replaces a whole arch, and a partial denture replaces some teeth. Fixed implant teeth are sometimes called permanent dentures, though the patient cannot take them out.

Do I need dentures?

Dentures are one option when several teeth are missing or cannot be saved, and an exam is the only way to know if they suit you. A dentist checks the remaining teeth, the gums, and the bone first. Some patients leave that visit with a plan for a partial denture, a bridge, or implants instead of a full denture.

How do you clean dentures?

Brush dentures every day to remove food and plaque, as the American Dental Association advises. Use a denture brush or a soft toothbrush. The ADA’s guidance for partial dentures says to skip toothpaste, which can be too harsh, and to keep the denture in water or soaking solution overnight. Rinse the denture well each morning, then put it in.

Does insurance cover dentures?

Denture coverage depends on the plan, so the reliable answer comes from your own benefits. Forest Hills Dental accepts most major dental insurance, and our financial coordinators request a breakdown of your coverage from the insurer. Our payment information page explains CareCredit financing for costs a plan leaves.

Do you still need dental checkups with dentures?

Dental checkups continue every six months with dentures. I check the fit, look at the gums, and screen for oral cancer and other disease, and we clean the denture and remove stains and hardened deposits. Patients with partial dentures need the visit most, because the remaining teeth carry the clasps.