When you lose a full set of teeth on your upper or lower jaw, it becomes nearly impossible to do certain things. For instance, you lose the ability to chew properly, smiling becomes a chore, and talking ceases to be a mundane activity. Thus, dentists recommend full dentures to replace a set of missing teeth. Also known as complete dentures, full dentures restore eating and chewing and improve a patient's self-esteem and confidence. However, most patients know little about complete dentures. Unfortunately, it makes it difficult to understand how full dentures work, let alone maintain them. This article highlights a few essential pieces of information about complete dentures.
Temporary Speech Impediments
When a dentist says you are a candidate for full dentures, it is vital to learn how the device will affect you during the first few weeks. For instance, most patients assume they will continue speaking normally after installing full dentures. However, such expectations are often thwarted when patients realise they cannot talk as well as they used to, thanks to the thickness of the material covering the palate. Notably, the thickness is vital to help keep dentures in place; hence, it cannot be thinned. The good news is that speech impediments resulting from complete dentures are temporary, and most patients get over it quickly. Therefore, understanding the issue before getting full dentures allows you to manage your expectations and prepare to get over potential speech impediments as quickly as possible.
Permanent or Temporary
To most patients, full dentures are temporary and require relining over the years to achieve the right fit. However, permanent or full implant dentures are different. While temporary and permanent dentures might look the same in the mouth, their installation is different. For example, temporary dentures are held in place with clasps and suction but also need denture adhesive to improve retention and stability. Over time, the adhesive wears off, and your dentures might need another application. Permanent complete dentures are held in place with implants drilled inside the jaw bone in four areas. Once bone tissue grows around the implants, permanent full dentures can last a lifetime.
Full Dentures Are Not Noticeable
Some individuals think that complete dentures are easier to notice than partial dentures because the surrounding natural teeth camouflage the latter. Unfortunately, this is not true because full dentures are difficult to notice no matter how close you examine them. The reason is that denturists use materials that mimic the look of natural teeth and gums. Moreover, denturists can customise complete dentures depending on the colour of your teeth so that replacement teeth have the same hue as your natural teeth.
Keep these tips in mind when looking for full dentures.
