Types of Dentures

The term “denture” is commonly used to describe the removable dental prosthesis. The main purpose of the dental prosthesis is to assist in chewing, speaking and to restore the cosmetic aspects of patient’s appearance. There are several types of dentures, depending on the need of the patient. Generally they can be categorized as follows:

1. Full or Complete Denture,
2. Immediate Denture,
3. Partial Denture:
- acrylic partial,
- metal frame partial,
- flexible partial.

Many years ago the porcelain teeth were used as a standard material for the artificial teeth for dentures. As porcelain is a very hard material, porcelain teeth were very hard on the gums and bones in the patient’s mouth, making them vulnerable to accelerated deterioration. Today, acrylic resin is used to produce highest quality artificial teeth that absorb the shocks generated during the chewing much better than the porcelain teeth; therefore, they are much easier on the gums and jaw bones of the patient. Acrylic teeth are also more “quiet” as they don’t “click” as loud as porcelain teeth during chewing and speaking. In the next few posts I will present in more detail the information about different types of dentures and the process of making them.