1- What is a Dental Prosthesis?
Dental prostheses are custom-made teeth designed to restore teeth lost due to various reasons. They can address single or multiple missing teeth, up to complete tooth loss. The most important aspects to consider during the application of prostheses are ensuring a perfect fit to the individual's mouth, achieving a natural appearance, and ease of use.
The primary goal of the application is to restore the lost chewing function and improve the patient's quality of life. Additionally, it helps alleviate the negative effects caused by broken, discolored, or misshapen teeth.
2- What Are the Types of Prostheses?
In dentistry, there are three main types of prostheses: removable prostheses, fixed prostheses, and maxillofacial prostheses. These categories encompass various subtypes:
- Removable Prostheses
- Complete Dentures (Total Prostheses)
- Removable Partial Dentures (Partial Prostheses or Framework Dentures)
- Fixed Prostheses
3- What Are Removable Dentures?
Removable dentures are prostheses used in cases of one or more missing teeth, allowing the patient to easily put them on and take them off as needed. These dentures contain the missing teeth, completing the structure when placed.
There are several types of removable dentures based on their characteristics:
- Partial Dentures: Used when some teeth are missing while others remain.
- These dentures attach to the remaining teeth using wires, hence also known as "clasp" or "hooked" dentures.
- Complete Dentures: Used when all teeth in the mouth are missing.
- These dentures, commonly known as "dentures," are typically made of acrylic and are applied to the upper and lower jaws, relying on the support of the underlying bone tissue.
- Immediate Dentures: In cases where all natural teeth are extracted, immediate dentures can be applied if the patient prefers not to experience tooth loss.
- Immediate dentures are placed immediately after natural teeth extraction and are later replaced with permanent dentures once the healing process is complete.
4- What is the Lifespan of Removable Dentures?
Providing an exact expiration date for removable dentures is difficult because their lifespan depends on various factors unique to each individual. One crucial factor is the importance the patient places on the cleanliness of both the dentures and the oral cavity. Another factor is the condition of the oral tissues. The absence of bony prominences in the oral cavity, adequate thickness of the mucosa covering the bone, and the strength of the chewing muscles greatly influence the longevity of removable dentures.
Moreover, some systemic diseases can also affect the lifespan of dentures. For instance, in individuals with osteoporosis, if bone resorption continues rapidly after denture placement, a gap may form between the part of the denture in contact with the tissue and the tissues themselves, significantly complicating the use of the denture. These and similar factors significantly impact the lifespan of dentures.
Bone resorption in the jaw, like hair loss, is a process that continues at certain rates after a certain age. Even if an individual does not have a systemic disease, their jawbones will inevitably lose volume and mineral density to some extent after a certain age.
If dentures are used for an extended period, the normal process of bone resorption can accelerate and become pathological. Therefore, it is best for removable denture users to undergo regular periodic check-ups and decide on the time to replace the dentures in consultation with their dentist.
5- How Long Does it Take to Get Used to Removable Dentures?
For patients who have previously used removable dentures and have had their old dentures replaced with new ones, the adaptation period is generally short, provided that the new dentures are well-planned and well-made. The short adaptation period is due to inevitable minor differences between the old and new dentures.
However, for patients who have never used removable dentures before, adapting to a new set of dentures may take longer. One reason for this is that, compared to fixed prostheses, removable dentures are bulkier. When these bulky dentures are first placed in the mouth, it is crucial for the mucous membranes, tongue, chewing muscles, and temporomandibular joint to harmonize in terms of their functioning regarding the use of the denture. While this may happen relatively quickly for some individuals, for others, achieving a harmonious function of the entire system may take longer.
Regardless, after new removable dentures are placed in the mouth, typically, a three-week period is sufficient for comfortable chewing, swallowing, and speaking. Even if months pass, experiencing significant difficulty in adapting to removable dentures can be attributed to two main reasons. One is errors overlooked during denture fabrication, and the other is certain oral conditions that make denture use challenging.
6- Should I Remove My Dentures at Night?
Unlike fixed prostheses, removable dentures cannot be used continuously. When removable dentures are placed on soft mucous membranes, it is essential for these tissues to maintain healthy blood circulation, not just through keeping microorganisms at bay.
The pressure applied by removable dentures on the mucosa, although minimal except during functions such as chewing or swallowing, is insignificant when the dentures are removed from the mouth for several hours each day.
The optimal time for the mucosa, on which removable dentures are placed, to rest is during sleep. Removing clean removable dentures just before sleep and sleeping without them allows the mucosa to rest for the required duration.
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