What are Dentures?
Dentures are the most helpful thing that may has brought out for the people without teeth. They act as a substitute for the teeth and are easily removable when required. Dentures can be used for single tooth replacements, a few teeth replacements or replacement of a whole set of teeth. Dentures provide support for your chin, lips and bring back that lost smile. They also provide the aesthetic appeal that is badly required when facing the public. The basic purpose like chewing and consuming food is also aided with the help of dentures. With the help of dentures the chewing power is returned to the jaws.
Dentures are made of different substances. The basic ones being the amalgam mixture, the acrylic resin compound and a combination of different metals. Dentures made of acrylic are the most durable ones and give one the natural look. Teeth that need partial replacements are also made of acrylic, though some people prefer metals.
Types of dentures
Denture are classified into three types based on your requirements and how many natural teeth you have remaining. The types are complete dentures, partial dentures and over dentures. The names themselves bring out the explanation as to what type are the dentures.
Complete dentures are dentures that are required for the total replacement of the lower jaw or for the upper jaw or for the both of them. The complete dentures consist of both teeth and gums that fit smugly over the jaw or the existing gums.
Partial dentures are dentures that are used for partial replacement of the teeth. They can build to fit smugly over the existing teeth even if they are partially broken. They consist of a metal frame work over which the teeth are build. They are held by clasps in their place. Though it is advisable to get them removed by a dentist you can do it with practice and get them cleaned.
Over dentures are teeth that are fitted as a whole set over the existing teeth. They act as a replacement for the missing teeth and provide a place for the existing teeth. The existing teeth needs to be reshaped to accommodate the over dentures. Though this requires careful work, it is comfortable once the person is used to the set of over dentures.
Tips to Get Used to your Dentures
Follow these tips to get used to get used to your new set of dentures. Avoid hard foods at once after you get your new set of dentures. This may cause injury to your jaw or your dentures will not be seated properly. Go into the foods slowly; take soft foods for the first few days, then when you step into hard foods, cut them into small pieces. This gives your dentures lesser work to break them into pieces. Use your jaws uniformly; don’t use one side of the molars for chewing. This will prevent tipping of your dentures to one side. Do not make use of your front teeth to cut into the meats; make use of the canines. You may have trouble talking with your new dentures; practice by reading out aloud. This will help you get over your inhibitions and also increase your talking ability.
How to Take Care of Your Dentures
Dentures need careful care and handling. Clean them daily after taking them out with the help of a soft bristled brush. If you are using a complete set of dentures that has no metal tags, then you can soak your dentures over night in a denture cleansing liquid. IF your denture has a metal tags then don’t soak them in the liquid for more than fifteen minutes. Do not drop your dentures on a hard surface, this will cause it to crack or break and replacing them can be quite expensive.