Immediate Dentures - Procedure Description
Immediate dentures are a popular treatment choice for many people. In many instances the entire procedure can be completed in one day. Since each patient's healing period and ability to accomodate an immediate denture varies, the feeling of being "comfortable" will be different for practically each and every patient.
 |
Case example #1
Click picture to view |
Immediate Denture Preliminary Protocol
Generally speaking, a patient's top maxillary and/or bottom mandibular teeth are extracted. The patient is now faced with healing from multiple extractions plus getting used to wearing a "plastic/acrylic" plate with teeth on it. Immediate dentures are often relined on one or more occasions with soft relines to help cushion the hard denture base against the healing extraction sites.
Immediate Denture Tissue Changes
Once all the teeth are extracted, the jawbone starts to remodel and shrink back a bit. Over the next year or so the jaws may resorb approximately 15-20% or more until the bone stabilizes. Since the jaw shrinks back as healing occurs, the current immediate denture will loosen up and may not be as retentive as it was at the time of original treatment.
A hard reline is then done to the denture to accomodate to the new shape of the jaws. Dentists or denturists may add a silicone soft base to the underside of the dentures for increased retention and comfort.
 |
Case example #2
Click picture to watch |
Improving Immediate Denture Function
To idealize the use of immediate dentures, some dentists and denturists can add dental implant anchoring devices under the denture so that the denture can snap in for super retention and will help prevent future loss of jawbone.
Dental implants will help retain a denture and act like tooth roots to "stimulate" the bone and prevent it from resorbing away. This is especially true for lower dentures which have much less retention versus. upper dentures.
 |
Avoid Dentures Altogether!
Click picture to watch |
An upper denture has a full palate (roof of the mouth) to create a suction seal. A bottom denture has no suction seal and usually just sits on and rides the lower jawbone. Over the years the bottom jaw will lose bone due to pressure necrosis of the denture sitting on the jawbone.
The standard of care in the USA is to place at least 2 dental implants in the lower front part of the mandible (lower jaw) to snap in the denture ... keeping it securely in place AND to cushion the jaw from the constant pressure of a wobbley, loose bottom denture.
Converting an Immediate Denture to Palateless Denture
Implants, mini or traditional that are placed into the upper jaw as retention or mounting devices permit the modification of dentures to a palate-free prosthetic. The excess plastic acrylic is removed from the roof area along with trimming along the gum line.
The immediate denture acquires a horseshoe shape, which is the basic style or design of a fixed bridge. Special copings or mounting attachments are installed into the denture, creating a Snap On Denture effect that denture wearers love compared to old fashioned dentures that require suction.
Click here to see how a dentist trims and converts a standard immediate denture into a palate-less set of new teeth that can be worn the same day for most patients.
West Chester Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry
Ron Briglia, DMD
845 West Chester Pike
West Chester PA 19382
(610) 692-4440
|
