Everything You Need to Know About Permanent Dentures

Permanent dentures are a fairly new product in dentistry.  They are better alternative to the dentures your grandparents would wear during the day and put in a glass or jar at bedtime. Those older, traditional dentures relied on suction or clips to keep them in place, which made eating some foods difficult and provided risk for embarrassing moments, when the dentures slipped out of place. 

What are permanent dentures? 
Dentists themselves do not often refer to permanent dentures using that specific term, but tend to refer to the specific type of ‘non-temporary’ dental process being used. There are a number of such treatments, including fixed partial dentures, permanent dental bridges, and implant-retained dentures, which are commonly called All-on-4 dentures. This name comes from the fact that four titanium dental implants are used to anchor the lower and upper jaws, after which prosthetic teeth can be added to make the entire mouth look perfectly natural.

These kinds of solutions can be used to replace either one tooth, a group of teeth, or all the teeth in the mouth. If replacing most of the teeth, screws are installed in the mouth, which are used to securely hold the new teeth in place. When fewer teeth are being replaced, only a few screws may be necessary, and these will help to hold a removable plate in position. These plates are not truly fixed, but they are much more stable than the old-style dentures of the past.

In the first few days after permanent dentures have been installed, you can expect to have excessive salivating, since the dentures represent a new and foreign object in the mouth. Eventually, the oral tissues get used to the new structure, and salivation will return to normal.

Caring for permanent dentures  
Years ago, denture care consisted of removing the dentures at night and allowing them to be soaked clean before using them again the next day. With modern, permanent, dentures care is obviously going to be a little different.  You can’t use the same products used for cleaning traditional dentures, because permanent dentures are not removed on a daily basis.  

 

Regular brushing will keep them clean and help them retain a normal white appearance.  Rinsing with a good mouthwash that kills most bacteria in the mouth, as well as bacteria which collect on the denture surfaces will also keep your new smile bright and clean. 

 

Permanent dentures provide many benefits and improve overall quality of life.  Let HollowBrook Dental give you a new, brighter, more confident smile today.