Machine made dentures don’t have the beautiful esthetics that are typical of those made by skilled hands. Digital dentures have become popular because laboratories can produce dentures in high volume. The best dentures are handmade by an experienced prosthodontist.
Since dentures don’t have any natural teeth to attach to, upper dentures rely on primarily suction to stay in while the lower dentures stay in with a careful balance between the tongue and the facial muscles. Both upper and lower dentures require an adequate amount of remaining bone and tissue for stability. As most patients have the most difficulty chewing and speaking with lower dentures, two or more dental implants can make a world of difference. Dentures can be made to be retained or supported by dental implants. These types of dentures can be either removable by the patient or non-removable. The non-removable type can be removed only by the dentist.
Dentures made by a specialist in prosthodontics can be expected to be very natural and lifelike and most people will not be able to tell that you don’t have natural teeth. Well made dentures will replace not only your missing teeth but also the lost gum and bone structure that support your facial features. This is why dentures can help you regain your natural appearance and give you a more youthful smile.
In addition to conventional dentures which rely on suction and tongue and cheek muscles for retention, implant supported dentures can be made which are patient removable and non- removable designs. Patient-removable designs still have the pink lip supporting flanges and provide the easiest cleaning. Non removable denture designs have abbreviated pink flanges to provide for oral hygiene access. Both types of implant dentures feature improved speech and chewing ability over conventional dentures.
Prosthodontists specialize in treating patients who need replacement of missing teeth and are experts in fabrication of removable and non removable dentures retained or supported by dental implants. They have at least 3 years of additional formal training beyond that of a general dentist. They can be expected to provide consistently high quality treatment results because of their knowledge and experience.