Dentures are classified as:

1. Complete dentures: Replace all teeth.

2. Partial dentures: Replace a few. Partials can be classified as (i) Removable and (ii) Fixed. 3. Removable partial dentures replace a few teeth and are designed to be removed and replaced by the patient. The fixed partial dentures also replace a few teeth but cannot be removed by the patient.

The extracted tooth should be replaced after the extraction socket has healed about a month later. If delayed may result in other teeth migrating to the extracted area.

A fixed denture is better than removable because the latter covers only the tooth surfaces and hence less plaque accumulation and less gingival inflammation. Removable dentures are tissue supported and cause the gums to strip from the teeth resulting in recession and more plaque accumulation leading to bone loss and loss of adjacent teeth.

Ideally dentures have to be replaced every 5 years. With the passage of time there will be a change in the shape and form of the tissues that hold the dentures. So in due course of time the dentures loose their exact fit and can cause injury and irritation to the underlying tissues. In addition the acrylic artificial teeth also wear off in due course of time and they no longer cut and chew food as effectively as before. So it is advisable to replace the dentures after every 5 yrs.

Yes, often, new dentures cause soreness in the tissues beneath (called Denture Sore Mouth). Even the best dentures cause irritation when newly worn, usually due to sharp spots on the denture that irritates the tissue or may some-times be due to sharp bony area in the tissues. This may also be due to allergic reactions to the base material, or due to improper hygiene. These should be brought to doctor's notice to do the necessary modifications.

Even the best of the dentures may not perform as well as the natural teeth. It is something akin to asking if one could run as well on artificial legs. One has to learn to use the dentures. It is best to avoid hard foods like raw carrots, nuts, etc. Soft foods cut into small pieces are ideal for denture wearers. The food should be chewed on both sides of the mouth simultaneously, in a balanced manner.

Speaking well with the new dentures will also take some time. Fortunately most patients learn to speak with their dentures by adapting to them quickly. Speaking problems may persist if the dentures are not made well. Some of the causes include improper tooth positioning, loose dentures, excessive denture thickness, etc. The dentist will advise new denture wearers to read aloud from a book or newspaper to help in adapting to the denture.

Wearing dentures puts strain on tissues beneath; it is essential to give adequate rest. This is best done at night or at any time the user sleeps. When out of the mouth, the denture should be placed in a bowl of water as drying of the denture would cause it to misfit. In addition, the denture must be kept clean with the help of special denture brushes. Special cleansing solutions are also available for this purpose. A denture can break if it falls off. So care must be taken not to drop the denture.

Broken dentures can be repaired. However after the repair, the denture must be rechecked in the patient's mouth by the dentist to evaluate the accuracy of the repair and to see if the dentures fit well. Old dentures may also be made to fit well by the relining and rebasing techniques mentioned above. However badly worn out dentures or badly broken dentures may require to be remade.

An immediate denture is designed to be inserted immediately after natural teeth are extracted. The patient does not have to go through an embarrassing period without teeth. They are made on models made prior to tooth extraction and the denture is given soon after all the teeth are extracted. The healing of the oral tissues goes on below the dentures. They are more complex to make and maintain and are thus more expensive.

Complete dentures depend on the surface area of the gums on which they are seated for staying in place. Larger the area available, better the retention. Even the best lower dentures are more difficult to retain than the upper. After the loss of natural teeth, the gums and the underlying bony ridge on which the dentures are seated start shrinking over time. So in due course, the tissues shrink to an extent that makes it difficult to seat the dentures in place.

A removable partial denture can be made of acrylic (plastic-like material) or a combination of acrylic with metallic framework. The metallic framework is usually made of cast metal. The metal used may be gold based or chrome cobalt alloy. These metallic dentures are much superior to the regular acrylic dentures and are safe as well.

Partial dentures use a variety of mechanisms to stay in place. They can be made of porcelain or metallic alloys. The metallic ones are made of either gold alloys or chrome cobalt alloys, which are safe and compatible with our biology. Close physical contact of the denture with the underlying soft tissue along with the intervening saliva provides one means of retention. In addition, the cast partial dentures have metallic clasps, which hold on to the remaining teeth that help in keeping the denture in place.

A crown is a restoration that covers the entire tooth like a cap. It can be made of porcelain or acrylic. Crowns are used to restore teeth that are discoloured, have multiple decays, or are fractured.

A bridge is a prosthetic appliance that replaces missing teeth by permanently getting attached to the adjacent remaining teeth. It is made up of two or more crowns for achoring teeth on both sides of the gap, called abutment teeth, and false teeth in between, called pontics, which are made of gold, metallic alloys, porcelain, etc. Bridges are supported by natural abutment teeth / implants. The maximum number of teeth that can be replaced by a bridge is two to three. Much depends upon the health of the remaining teeth and in which area the teeth are missing.