oakleigh-dental-logo

Dentures

Custom-moulded dentures to replace missing teeth.

Smile Fully

Dentures are also known as false teeth and fit comfortably in your mouth to give you a complete smile. We recommend working to keep your natural teeth for as long as you can, but sometimes that isn’t possible. With full or partial options available, we can meet everyone’s teeth needs.

What are dentures?

Dentures are removable sets of false teeth that replace lost or damaged natural teeth and surrounding tissues. Because they are removable, they are often a lot more affordable than implants or bridges, but can be less comfortable. Many people use false teeth as a stepping stone towards getting a fixed replacement option.

types-of-dentures

Types of dentures

Options vary based on need, but the two main types are full and partial dentures. Full prosthetics provide support when a person is missing most or all of their natural teeth on a jaw. These sit on the gum line of either the upper or lower jaw — or both, if necessary. Comparatively, partial dentures fill gaps for those missing some natural teeth but not all, by attaching to surrounding teeth.

Are dentures permanent?

Dentures unfortunately do not last forever, and need progressive replacement throughout a patient’s life. The average lifespan depends on how well you look after them, and sometimes the condition of the supporting teeth or tissues. However, they may last anywhere between 5-15 years. Importantly, the shape of your mouth changes over time, so you may require an update to ensure your false teeth continue to fit properly.

How to clean dentures

Just like your natural teeth, caring for dentures is fundamental to their ongoing health. You should be brushing them every single day to keep them clean and safe for use. You should remove your set and gently brushed with a soft-bristled toothbrush and nonabrasive denture cleaner. This helps to remove food particles, plaque and dental adhesive if you use it.

how-to-clean-dentures

Denture care

Dentures should be soaked overnight and rinsed in the morning before being put in your mouth. To ensure that they are still fitting in your mouth properly and not breaking down too soon, we recommend visiting every 12 months for a check up on their quality or to reassess your false teeth options. Similarly, to maximise their lifetime, it’s important to continue practising positive oral health habits and regular cleaning. You should soak your dentures overnight and rinse them in the morning before put them back in your mouth.

Fitting your mouth

After a consultation with your dentist, the process of getting dentures may take a little bit of time, but will be worthwhile for your eventual smile improvements.

 

  • Check Up. Your dentist will go through a thorough examination of your teeth and gums to check their health and strength. This process may also involve radiographs to ensure your existing natural teeth are strong enough.
  • Impressions. Your dentist will begin taking moulds of your mouth to eventually create a special impression tray to form your prosthetics. This process may require multiple appointments to create an accurate impression of your mouth, and may also include a ‘wax bite’ to get the full anatomy and how the upper and lower jaw bones meet together. Impressions help ensure that there is correct alignment between both jaws and the height of teeth is correct.
  • Trial. Once impressions have been taken, your dentist will construct a wax-based set used to assess how the false teeth fit in your mouth and whether they look appropriate. From here, your final set will be constructed.
  • Placement. Once your new set is ready, the dentist will fit them in your mouth and ensure they are placed properly, while also teaching you how to look after them and place them yourself. 
  • Adjustments. False teeth often feel strange for a little while after getting them, but your dentist will go through a process of minor adjustments over the following months to completely tailor the fit and maximise comfort. 

Confident smiles for everyone

Dentures can help you smile with confidence and self-assurance, and make your daily habits easier. You don’t have to worry about how you’ll eat or whether people will be looking at gaps in your mouth. At Oakleigh Dental, we fit the best set specially designed for your mouth and teach you how to look after them to make them last.

FAQs

There are a variety of materials that dental professionals use, including newer materials like Valplast (flexible plastic) and traditional materials like metal and acrylic. Valplast sets are typically more flexible and better resemble your natural teeth appearance, making them a superior cosmetic option than older materials. Metal and acrylic dentures are still very common though. 

It is normal to experience some discomfort and irritation while your mouth is adjusting to the feel of your false teeth. However, significant pain may indicate that your dentures are not sitting comfortably in your mouth and need to be adjusted.

Eating may take some practice in the early stages, but you will eventually be able to return to your normal diet. Important tips early on include eating softer foods that are cut into pieces to begin, and to chew with both sides of your prosthetics to avoid them moving.

 

To start, try to eat soft foods, soups and meats that are easier to chew, and also slice tough foods like fruit rather than directly biting in.

For the initial weeks after getting dentures, wearing them almost constantly will help you get used to them and understand their best fit. This includes wearing them even while you sleep, but this will change over time.

 

Once you’re used to your set, they should be removed overnight and left to soak in a denture cleaning solution. This helps remove plaque and sanitise them to keep your mouth healthy. Removing them also allows your gums to rest and helps them remain healthy for longer.

Complete dentures often last between 5 and 10 years, while partial sets can last up to 15. If you go for regular dental visits or have a broken set, your dentist will let you know when you may need to replace or fix them to best fit your mouth, but other signs you may need to replace them include:

  • Visible damage.
  • They feel loose and are falling out.
  • You’re having trouble speaking clearly.
  • You feel discomfort and pain.

Dentures are a removable option, but there are fixed teeth replacement options such as dental implants and bridges. These more closely resemble the look and feel of your natural teeth, but are more expensive. People often get dentures as a stepping stone to fixed replacements.

Cleaning dentures with toothpaste you use on natural teeth will damage them. Instead, you can purchase specific toothpaste for dentures, or continue to simply rinse them in a cleaning solution overnight. 

Dentures are specifically designed to match your jaw shape, but they also use the layer of saliva between the gums and dentures to stay in place. If you are struggling with loose dentures, you may benefit from buying an adhesive for dentures that firmly holds them, but it is then important to clean your dentures and mouth thoroughly when you take them out.