Dentures are removable false teeth that come with a host of benefits, including helping to improve how you eat and speak, as well as boosting your confidence by restoring your smile. They can also enhance facial shape, especially around the lips and in the cheek area. You can either have partial dentures for a few missing teeth or full dentures to replace a whole set of teeth on the upper or lower jaw.

They are usually made from acrylic, or a combination of acrylic and metal, and modern materials mean that partial dentures will blend in beautifully with existing teeth and complete dentures can pass for the real thing.

What does the treatment involve?

Complete dentures

Impressions: We start by taking an impression of your top and bottom teeth with standard trays. This is mostly done with a material called alginate which is soft when mixed and hardens quickly. This is sent to the laboratory, where special custom-made trays to fit your mouth are constructed. These trays are then used to get a better impression of your teeth and soft tissues. The better the impression, the better fitting the final denture will be.
Planning: Wax rim blocks created in the laboratory are carved and used to work out how the denture will bite down together and how much lip and cheek support the denture will give. We will also record how much tooth you want on show at this point and set up the curves and inclines that natural teeth follow. The colour and shape will also be decided at this stage.
Try-in: We use a wax mock-up of your denture to try-in, assessing the colour, shape and how the teeth fit together. We make any minor adjustments needed and send the mock-up to the laboratory for your final denture to be made.
Fitting: We invite you into the practice to fit your final denture. We check it for fit and aesthetics and ensure you are happy. We can also make small adjustments to prevent your denture rubbing.

Partial cobalt chromium dentures

Impressions: We start by taking an impression of your top and bottom teeth with standard trays. This is mostly done with a material called alginate which is soft when mixed and hardens quickly. This is sent to the laboratory, where special blocks to fit your mouth are constructed. The wax rim blocks are used to record your bite, and allow the lab to mimic how your jaw moves so your bespoke denture can be made.
Preparation: We prepare the teeth that the metal frame of your final dentures will rest on, removing minor amounts of tooth structure if necessary. We then take further impressions of your teeth and soft tissues so that a metal frame can be created.
Try-in: We try in the metal frame with no artificial teeth. This is to check we have a tight fit and that you are biting down correctly. At this stage we will select the colour, shape, and how much of your teeth you want to show when you smile. We then ask you to try in a mock-up of your denture to check you are happy with it.
Fitting: We fit your final denture in practice, checking it for fit, aesthetics and comfort and making sure you are completely happy.

Implant-retained dentures

If you have always had loose full dentures, or find them uncomfortable or starting to slip, we may suggest using implants to stabilise them. This involves having a few strategically planned implants placed into your jaw, with a special denture that fits on top of them. Implant-retained dentures create a natural looking, confident and secure smile.

Dentures

What does the treatment involve?

Complete dentures

Partial cobalt chromium dentures

Implant-retained dentures

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