Removable Partial Dentures are used to replace multiple missing teeth when a patient still has some of their natural teeth remaining. Some removable partial dentures have a metal base where as some are made using only a pink acrylic or a flexible nylon material. They clasp onto existing teeth to increase chewing function and stability.
Full or Complete Dentures are used when a patient no longer has any teeth. They rest on tissue and bone and are made from acrylic to custom fit each patient.
Complete dentures can be made two ways: either “conventional” or “immediate.”
A conventional denture is made when a person has been missing teeth for years or has had teeth extracted but has healed for over 12 weeks.
An immediate denture is made in advance and can be inserted as soon as the teeth are removed. This is done so that a patent is not without teeth for any period of time. The disadvantage of immediate dentures is that the bone and gums shrink and change as healing progresses causing the denture to get loose and not fit properly. As a result the denture has to be adjusted more frequently and a new denture may have to be made once healing has completed.