Dentures & Partial Dentures

Dentures in Cupertino, CA

Dr. Mitchell in Cupertino is an experienced dentist who has been providing his patient high-quality dentures and partial dentures for over 30 years. With all of the newest technologies available to us today, fewer people are turning to dentures and more people are saving their teeth through root canals or using dental implants to restore their teeth. However, there may be times when a partial denture or even a complete denture is the best option.

What is a denture?

A denture is a removable dental appliance and a replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissue. It can provide an incredible transformation of your smile and overall look when done well. They are made to closely resemble your natural teeth and may even improve sagging or sunken in cheeks, making you look younger! They are typically made of acrylic, but in some cases the teeth will be made out of a porcelain material for esthetics or durability.

There are two types of dentures

- Complete and Partial dentures. Complete dentures are used when all of the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain. A partial denture not only fills in the spaces created by missing teeth, it helps prevent other teeth from shifting into an empty space.

A complete denture can be either “conventional” or “immediate.” A conventional type is made after the teeth have been removed and the gum tissue has healed (usually takes 4 to 6 weeks). During this time, the patient will go without teeth. Immediate dentures are made in advance and immediately placed after the teeth are removed, thus preventing the patient from having to be without teeth during the healing process. Once the tissues shrink and heal, adjustments will have to be made.

Dentures are very durable appliances and will last many years but may have to be remade, repaired, or readjusted due to normal wear or gum or bone recession..

Reasons for dentures:

Complete Denture - Loss of all teeth in an arch.
Partial Denture - Loss of several teeth in an arch.
Enhancing smile and facial tissues.
Improving chewing, speech, and digestion.

What are Implant-Supported Dentures?

Just as it sounds, an implant supported denture is very much like a traditional denture, only it provides additional stability since it is anchored on dental implants. They can be either “fixed” – where the denture is actually screwed onto the implants and the patient can not remove them. Or, they can be “removable” – where the denture snaps into place over either a bar connector or an implant fixture post.

Typically, the denture is made first and the implant fixtures are surgically placed into the bone underneath the specific locations to offer optimal support. Once the dental implants have “fused” to the bone and are solid, then the denture can be retrofit with circular snaps that pop onto the implants, or a metal framework can be made and the denture is screwed onto the implant fixtures. This provides our patients with the ultimate stability for their dentures, along with the most natural feel when chewing and speaking.

The benefits of this procedure are, you will not experience slipping of the denture, you typically have stronger chewing function, and they not only offer lip support, but you will experience confidence in both speech and chewing with dentures that are solidly staying in your mouth. Many of our denture patients appreciate the fact that they can chew better with implant-supported dentures. In some cases, we are even able to “retro-fit” an existing denture to be more stable using implants.

What does getting dentures involve?

After doing a comprehensive examination and looking at your bone level on an x-ray, we will sit with you to review your goals. The process of getting dentures requires several appointments, usually over a period of several weeks. Highly accurate impressions (molds) and measurements are taken and used to create your custom denture. Several “try-in” appointments may be necessary to ensure proper shape, color, and fit. At the final appointment, Dr. Mitchell will precisely adjust and place the completed denture, ensuring a natural and comfortable fit.

It is normal to experience increased saliva flow, some soreness, and possible speech and chewing difficulty initially, however this will subside as your muscles and tissues get used to the new dentures.

You will be given a comprehensive set of instructions for handling and caring properly for your new dentures. Proper daily cleaning of your new dental appliance, good oral hygiene, and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your new dentures. We encourage our patients to come in regularly to evaluate the health of the tissue and the fit of the dentures to make sure they aren’t rubbing or causing any sore spots in your mouth. It is usually just a simple adjustment to correct any sore spot issues.

What should I do if I have a broken denture or partial denture?

First of all, don’t panic! Call us immediately and then bring all the parts and pieces to our office. In some cases, we may be able to do a simple acrylic repair to replace a tooth or repair a chipped corner. If the denture has cracked in half, we may be able to use a thin metal bar inside the denture to reinforce it. If we can repair it in the office, we will, otherwise we can have our lab restore the denture back to a stronger version. If you break a metal clasp off a partial denture, that will take a couple of days to repair, since it has to go to our lab to solder a new piece – either a support bar or clasp onto the existing partial denture. We can also reline the inside of your denture if it is loose fitting. Providing a new base for it to sit on your gum tissue comfortably.

If you live in the Silicon Valley and are considering getting a new denture or partial denture, or even interested to see if we can "fit" your denture better to your jaw, give Dr. Craig Mitchell of DeAnza Family Dentistry a call today! 408-255-9422