Dentures are prosthetic devices that are created and used to replace missing or lost teeth and these are held in place by the soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity. There are different types of dentures and it is important to understand the difference between each to know which one suit you best. The four different varieties include standard, implant retained, immediate and Cu-Sil dentures.
The standard types are usually constructed for people who have lost most of their teeth. The denture is held in place by suction and stabilized by the hardness of the underlying tissues. During the first visit, the dentist takes an X-ray to create an accurate model after considering all the parameters like shade, size and shape. Over the next few visits, the dentist tries out the model to make it the right fit for your oral cavity. The new dentures are usually fit in during the fourth and the last visit once it is constructed to your satisfaction.
The second type is the immediate or temporary dentures which are usually made before the natural teeth are pulled out. These can be inserted during the first or second visit and are reasonably stable and reliable. In many cases, the immediate dentures become permanent but these may not provide you with the same comfort offered by a standard denture. You must also visit the dentist every six months to reline the dentures with the acrylic that it is created from; hence most often people tend to go in for standard dentures once the gums have healed.
The Cu-Sil denture is an innovative technology where gaps are left in the dentures for the remaining natural teeth. This makes it much more reliable and stable than other dentures but this is not recommended for those who have many natural teeth. This type is usually inserted for people who have the chance to lose their remaining teeth over time or for those whose teeth are on the same side of the arch. This variety is usually not constructed by all dentists and you may have to search online for those specialized in this procedure.
Overdentures are the fourth type and the earliest to be used as a replacement for missing or lost teeth. These are removable and can be fitted over existing teeth or its remnants that have been left behind. Today overdentures are not in common use; the standard variety has drastically cut down on the use of these. This type is only used in people who have undergone root canal therapy