Full and partial dentures are designed to closely resemble your natural teeth and enhance your smile. Complete (conventional) dentures are fabricated after the gum tissue heals after extractions, typically taking several weeks.

Our practice offers immediate dentures Raleigh NC to help you skip the wait time. These removable restorations re-establish the oral foundation for normal speech, nutrition and facial form.

Aesthetics

With advances in dental materials and techniques, removable dentures look lifelike, support facial contours, and enable healthy speech and chewing. At Raleigh Prosthodontics, we craft restorations that balance comfort, durability, and esthetics.

A complete or conventional denture consists of a full row of artificial teeth set in an acrylic base that covers the gum tissue. The base can extend into the palate (roof of the mouth) or be shaped like a horseshoe to accommodate the tongue.

Conventional dentures are made after the teeth have been removed and the tissues heal, which can take 4 to 6 weeks. In contrast, immediate dentures are molded in advance and placed immediately after the removal of natural teeth, preventing the patient from having to go without teeth. However, because the tissues shrink and change shape as they heal, immediate dentures require more frequent adjustments. They can also be less comfortable than conventional dentures. Patients may experience increased saliva flow, soreness, and speech or chewing difficulty.

Functionality

The most significant drawback of traditional dentures is that patients have to wait several days, weeks or even months until their restorations are ready. This lengthy toothless period can make some people afraid of pursuing dentures, resulting in them hanging on to their damaged or decaying teeth far longer than necessary.

The good news is that modern immediate dentures are fabricated before the tooth extraction, eliminating this long period of toothlessness. By preserving natural teeth, these removable appliances help maintain healthy jawbone volume, normal chewing patterns and facial aesthetics.

These dental appliances are crafted to match the shape, shade and base contours of any remaining natural teeth and to complement a patient’s complexion. The precise design of both full and partial dentures is also based on an initial clinical evaluation, evaluating the health of any remaining teeth, bite relationships and a patient’s functional goals. The denture fabrication process typically involves four to five key appointments, and we can often make immediate tweaks to fit and bite during these visits.

Reliability

Whether a complete denture, partial or implant-supported solution is right for you, we carefully evaluate your tooth structure and bite relationship. Choosing the correct denture type supports healthy tissue, comfortable chewing and an improved facial appearance.

The traditional denture consists of an artificial set of teeth within a base that rests on the gums and distributes biting forces evenly. Modern materials provide greater durability, comfort and esthetics while reducing the weight of the prosthesis.

An immediate dentures Raleigh NC is fabricated and inserted at the same time as the extractions so that you don’t go without teeth while the tissues heal. This approach requires regular adjustments and relines to maintain an accurate fit as the mouth remodels.

Comfort

Dentures provide a reliable and durable solution for tooth loss. They support natural facial form, distribute biting forces more evenly and allow for comfortable speaking and eating. They are fabricated with durable acrylic resins and porcelain, or a combination thereof, to match your natural teeth and smile.

Getting conventional dentures typically involves a lengthy process that may require multiple appointments to make and place highly accurate impressions, a wax bite and a “try-in” to ensure proper color, shape and fit. During this time, your mouth and gum tissues may experience minor irritation or discomfort.

Partial dentures eliminate the lengthy wait that is necessary for permanent denture fabrication and allow you to return to normal oral function sooner. They also can help prevent the adjacent teeth from drifting into the spaces left behind by extractions, allowing for healthier jaw alignment. Like complete dentures, partials are usually covered by Medicaid. However, they must undergo a prior authorization process to confirm that they are medically necessary.