Procedures

Removable dentures

Talk to your dentist about...

• What are my options to complete dentures? If you are completely edentulous, be sure to ask your dentist about the "all on four" technique for implant-supported overdentures.
• Would immediate dentures be an option? Will the required denture reline procedures be billed separately?
• Is there anything that could improve the likelihood of a successful outcome with a denture? For most patients, stabilizing a complete denture with at least two dental implants can enormously improve the treatment outcome. This is especially true for lower complete dentures, which lack the surface area and "suction cup" stabilization of upper dentures. The stability of partial dentures that replace all of the teeth on one side of the dental arch (e.g. lower right, etc.) can be dramatically improved with just one implant.
• Are the teeth that will support the partial denture ("abutments") solid enough to support the chewing forces the partial will introduce? Are they heavily restored? Is there good enough bone support in the remaining teeth to support the functional demands of a partial denture? Would "survey crowns" be required on any of the abutment teeth? At what cost?
• What might go wrong with a denture in my situation? Do you anticipate any problems? Your dentist cannot possibly foresee all of the problems that might occur, but there may be some obvious non-ideal factors present. For example, the prospective abutment teeth might themselves be significantly compromised, or the span of the prospective partial denture might be pushing the limits on what the abutment teeth can reasonably support. At some level, all treatment boils down to a judgment call, and a decision needs to be made on which way to go. If you want the best treatment outcome, do your best to understand the limitations of your unique situation, and make your decision with as complete an understanding of the facts as possible.
• Denture teeth can usually be added to a partial denture as natural teeth are lost. This is one of their advantages. However, it is unfortunate when the partial denture itself plays a role in causing teeth to fail.
• What sorts of denture maintenance will be recommended? Dentures require regular evaluation of their fit and stability, and may need periodic relining or rebasing to avoid denture sores, preserve their stability and retention characteristics, and keep the force distribution on the underlying bone as even as possible to minimize bone resorption. Partial denture clasps may break or require adjustment from repetitive insertion and removal, and rocking/tipping forces placed on them under function. If you wear partial dentures, it is very important that the remaining teeth be well maintained to prevent their loss and subsequent compromises in the fit and stability of the dentures.

Review the "Additional procedures which may be required" under "Disadvantages"—and realize that they may add cost.