Types of Dentures: Full, Partial, Immediate and Implant-Held
"Dentures" covers more than one appliance, and the differences matter when you are about to need them. What follows sets out the main types and what wearing them involves.
The main types
A full denture is an appliance that replaces an entire arch of missing teeth and rests atop the gums. A partial denture has clasps that hook around your remaining natural teeth (Cleveland Clinic). An immediate denture is one you wear right after extractions (American Dental Association (MouthHealthy)). An implant-retained denture is removable and snaps on to implants, and an implant-supported denture is non-removable (Cleveland Clinic).
Settling in, and how long a denture lasts
It can take time — weeks or sometimes months — to get used to new dentures. The average lifespan of a denture is seven to 10 years, and you should get a denture reline every one to two years, or whenever you notice changes in the way your denture fits (Cleveland Clinic).
Daily care
One recommended care routine is to remove your dentures at the end of every day, clean them using a denture brush and paste, and soak them overnight in a denture solution (Cleveland Clinic).
Where implants fit in
How an implant-supported denture compares with a traditional one is a separate subject, taken up in implant-supported versus traditional dentures. If you are weighing the options for missing teeth more broadly, another article covers implant, bridge or denture.
Next step
Our office is at 147 Main St, 2nd Floor, Lodi, NJ 07644, and Dr. Steven Liao is our dentist. For a first visit, start at our first-visit page.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic. "Dentures." Updated 2023-03-10. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/10900-dentures
- American Dental Association (MouthHealthy). "Dentures." https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/dentures
