Dentures

There may be occasions where people end up losing one or more teeth and our dentists at Dental on Kilmore in Christchurch are available to help with dentures if required.



Teeth can be lost for many reasons such as trauma, illness, decay and periodontal (gum) disease. Whether you have lost one or more teeth, dentures can be a cost-effective way of replacing missing teeth.

A plastic partial denture is made up of one or more false teeth attached to a plastic plate. They are designed to match in with your natural teeth and modern plastic materials do this very well. Plastic partial dentures are removable which allows for easy cleaning of your own teeth. It is easy to repair or add teeth to a plastic partial denture and they can be a more affordable option compared with other types of tooth replacements. Plastic partial dentures can be less comfortable compared with other types of dental work and for the upper arch may often cover the palate which can impact on taste and temperature. Over time the plastic can wear down or break which may require repairs or replacement. Wearing a plastic partial denture can increase your risk of dental decay and gum disease and plastic partial dentures do need to be cleaned regularly.

Metal dentures are made from a custom-made metal framework which means they often fit more accurately compared with plastic partial dentures. They have plastic teeth and pink plastic to cover the metal framework. Metal partial dentures are supported by remaining teeth which means they tend to move around less; they are also thinner compared with plastic partial dentures. Metal partial dentures may show the metal clasps holding onto the teeth and are not as easy to adjust compared with plastic partial dentures. They also require similar cleaning maintenance as plastic partial dentures. Metal partial dentures require more steps for fabrication than plastic partial dentures, so they are typically more expensive compared with plastic partial dentures.

Full dentures are made when you are missing all of your natural teeth. They are made of plastic and can look natural. Full dentures can take time to adjust to wearing and they do not replace the same chewing function of your natural teeth. Some people may have immediate dentures which are fabricated prior to tooth removal. This means you are never without any teeth. Immediate dentures may need to be remade or relined as healing occurs as they can become loose.

Dental Implants can be utilised to help hold dentures in the mouth. This can be a useful treatment option for those who find full dentures difficult but have already lost all their natural teeth.e