A removable dental instrument that is used as a replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissue is called a denture. A denture resembles your natural teeth and may add a new life to your smile. Complete and partial dentures are the two types of dentures used today. The former is used when all the teeth are missing, whereas the latter is used when some natural teeth are there. Apart from filling the spaces created by the missing teeth, a partial denture also prevents remaining teeth from shifting.

If a complete denture is required, you can either go for conventional or immediate. In the process of getting a conventional denture, the patient has to be without teeth for 4-6 weeks and the denture will be placed when the gum tissue has recovered. For immediate dentures, dentures are made in advance before removing the teeth and are immediately placed once the teeth are removed. In immediate dentures, the patient does not have to be without teeth during the recovery period. Necessary adjustments are made after the complete tissue recovery. 

Dentures last many years as they are extremely durable, but have to be replaced or repaired due to normal wear.

Reasons for Dentures:

• Complete Denture – Loss of all teeth in an arch
• Partial Denture – Loss of several teeth in an arch
• Enhancing smile and facial tissues
• Improving chewing, speech, and digestion