Medical uses and complications of dentures
- Improved chewing ability
- Enhanced aesthetics and natural appearance
- Better pronunciation and speech
- Boosted self-esteem and confidence in social interactions
- Stomatitis: inflammatory condition under dentures caused by Candida albicans and bacteria
- Ulceration: common lesion in denture wearers due to poorly fitting dentures and residual monomer irritation
- Importance of good denture hygiene in treating stomatitis
- Use of antifungal agents for persistent stomatitis cases
- Review of persisting oral ulcerations for more than 3 weeks
Causes of tooth loss
- Dental disease
- Pregnancy
- Malnutrition
- Genetic defects
- Trauma
- Drug use
- Periodontitis as a cause of tooth loss due to loss of connective tissue attachment
- Hormonal changes during pregnancy increasing the risk of gingivitis and vomiting
- Dental trauma causing dislocation or chipping of teeth
- Softening and erosion of enamel due to gastric reflux during pregnancy
Types of dentures
- Removable partial dentures for patients missing some teeth on a particular arch
- Fixed partial dentures (crown and bridge dentures) for stability and resemblance to missing teeth
- Flexible partial dentures as a non-invasive option using digital technology
- Complete dentures for patients missing all teeth in a single arch
- Immediate dentures and conventional dentures as two types of full dentures
Materials used in dentures
- Acrylic as the main material for dentures due to ease of manipulation and likeness to gums
- Heat-cured acrylic polymethyl methacrylate and rubber-reinforced polymethyl methacrylate as common compositions
- Addition of coloring agents and synthetic fibers for tissue-like shade and mimicry of oral mucosa capillaries
- Reinforcement of denture base with cobalt chromium for strength and prevention of fractures
- Fragility of acrylic dentures in patients with neuromuscular control issues
History of dentures and denture manufacturing
- Wooden dentures used in Japan until the 19th century
- Pierre Fauchard's description of dentures made with a metal frame and animal bone teeth in 1728
- Alexis Duchâteau's creation of the first porcelain dentures around 1770
- Nicholas Dubois De Chemant's first British patent for dentures in 1791
- Samuel Stockton's manufacturing of porcelain dentures mounted on gold plates in 1820
- George Washington's dental problems and the various sets of false teeth made for him
- Modern denture fabrication process involving dental impressions, wax rims, and testing of denture teeth
- Prosthodontic principles of support, stability, and retention in denture design
- Evolution of denture materials from porcelain and vulcanite to acrylic resin and other plastics
- Implant technology for improving denture stability and preventing bone resorption
- Importance of proper denture fit, maintenance, and relining to prevent bone and mucosal resorption
- Costs of different types of dentures
- Care and cleaning of dentures, including immersion cleaning and use of various cleansers and methods
This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2007) |
Dentures (also known as false teeth) are prosthetic devices constructed to replace missing teeth, supported by the surrounding soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity. Conventional dentures are removable (removable partial denture or complete denture). However, there are many denture designs, some of which rely on bonding or clasping onto teeth or dental implants (fixed prosthodontics). There are two main categories of dentures, the distinction being whether they fit onto the mandibular arch or on the maxillary arch.
| Dentures | |
|---|---|
 A maxillary denture | |
| MeSH | D003778 |
dentures
The use of the term dentures rather than the term false teeth was once considered “non-U”.
