Traditional Dentures

For many people, their first exposure to dental prosthetics is with traditional dentures, rather than implant dentures.

Traditional dentures are the most cost effective and simplest solution to replacing more than one tooth, and are offered either as full dentures, or partial dentures. Losing more than one tooth is not just inconvenient, it also brings with it the risk of the remaining teeth shifting to fill the gap left by missing teeth, and the bone around the missing teeth weakening in time. Depending on the number and location of missing teeth, you may find the physical appearance of your face being affected, along with your ability to eat certain foods, and even pronounce some words. Not forgetting that it might even lead to you smiling less, all of which can impact your confidence and general well being.

• Full Dentures
• Partial Dentures
• Denture Repairs
• Denture Additions
• Denture Relines

Full Dentures

A full denture is a removable dental prosthetic for someone who has lost all the teeth on their upper or lower dental arch, or both. Because the tissue and bone around the teeth are resorbed following extraction, a full denture is also designed to replace the lost tissue and bone and help restore facial contours. The base of each full denture is a pink acrylic, similar in shade to normal gums, and the teeth are also usually acrylic. Under normal circumstances the lifespan of a full denture can be up to 8 or 10 years, though they will need to be relined every three to four years.

The Full Denture Process

At Unique Denture Clinic our goal is always to create natural looking dentures that are also comfortable in any situation, allowing you to eat, talk, and smile with confidence.

All of our full dentures are processed using injection moulding, which results in a base material with less shrinkage, so the fit of the dentures is always better. It also means the dentures are stronger, with a greater bond to the teeth.

The teeth that we use in the dentures we make are chosen for their superior quality. The key differences between high quality teeth and cheaper teeth are:

• High quality teeth are stronger, so are less prone to cracking or breaking under normal circumstances. They also wear down at a slower rate, helping to extend the life of the denture.
• High quality teeth are also designed to look as natural as possible, so each tooth could be multi tonal, and even appear translucent in some areas, while cheaper teeth are a single solid colour.

Our dental prosthetists carefully select each tooth used in a full denture based on shade, shape, and size, to ensure that each denture perfectly suits each individual.

In most instances the entire process, from initial consultation through to completed dentures, requires five separate appointments. However, we always want our patients to be completely satisfied, so we can schedule additional appointments if necessary.

Immediate Full Dentures

For your first full denture, all remaining teeth on the upper or lower arch need to be removed. Without immediate dentures, this normally means going without a full set of teeth for a period of time as you wait for the gum tissue to heal. However, if you schedule a visit to Unique Denture Clinic before your teeth are extracted, we are able to take traditional impressions or, using our state of the art intraoral scanner, digital impressions of your mouth and start creating a set of immediate dentures for you. We do this in conjunction with your dentist, and as soon as the extractions are completed the immediate dentures are inserted, allowing you to leave with a full set of teeth. It is important to remember that the tissue and bone being resorbed after extraction will mean that the immediate dentures might no longer fit perfectly after three to six months. In some cases a denture reline will fix this, but in some situations a completely new denture might be needed.

Partial Dentures

Like full dentures, a partial denture is a removable dental prosthetic, but specifically designed to only replace some missing teeth, leaving your remaining original teeth untouched. The partial denture is secured in place by placing a clasp on a number of the remaining teeth. Most partial dentures are made from acrylic, Valplast flexible dentures, or chrome cobalt.

Acrylic Dentures

Acrylic partial dentures are the most cost effective, but some patients might find them to be less comfortable because the strength of acrylic is in its thickness. The clasp used to secure these dentures is usually stainless steel.

Valplast (Flexible)

Valplast flexible partial dentures are made from a nylon based thermoplastic that is both comfortable and discreet. The clasps are built into the flexible base and blend with the natural gum colour, so there are no visible metal clasps. They can be a good option for patients looking for a more aesthetic partial denture, though they may not suit every situation.

Chrome Cobalt Dentures

A metal base makes chrome cobalt dentures stronger, but also allows for the base to be considerably thinner than that of acrylic dentures, making them more comfortable. The clasp is built into the frame, so the fit and strength of the clasp is greater too. This makes it a more superior partial denture, but also more costly.

The Partial Denture Process

At Unique Denture Clinic we carefully craft our partial dentures for maximum comfort and to keep the required clasps as unobtrusive as possible. The teeth are all carefully selected to match the colour and size of the remaining teeth, helping you maintain a natural smile, without anyone ever noticing you have a partial denture in place.

This process requires two to five appointments, depending on the number and location of the missing teeth needing to be replaced.

We also offer denture repairs and denture additions for existing partial dentures when your needs change.

Need Dentures, Repairs or Advice?

Need dentures, repairs or advice? Call Unique Denture Clinic to arrange an appointment with Brent Smart and the team, or send us a quick enquiry and we will get back to you.