Partial and Hybrid Dentures
Tooth loss is a significant issue that can impact your entire life. Fortunately, missing teeth can be replaced. Replacing your missing teeth is essential for restoring the functions of those missing teeth, your facial aesthetics, and your quality of life. If you are missing sections of teeth, you have a few options to help you achieve these goals. At Simon K. Choyee, DDS, Inc., we can replace sections of missing teeth with partial dentures and hybrid dentures.
What are Partial Dentures?
Partial dentures are a type of traditional denture that is used to replace sections of missing teeth. They are a removable restoration made from impressions of your mouth. Modern partial dentures consist of acrylic resin teeth set into a rigid, gum-colored acrylic base. The base sits directly on your gums, relying on the tissue and the bony ridge underneath for support. Partial dentures also have metal clasps, which attach to your healthy teeth to provide additional support.
What are Hybrid Dentures?
Hybrid dentures are a type of denture used to replace sections of, or all, missing teeth. This treatment uses a set of dentures that are anchored into place on dental implants. Your partial denture consists of your replacement teeth and prosthetic gum tissue that cover the alveolar ridge. However, instead of sitting directly on your gums, the implants anchor your partial denture in place. Unlike traditional partial dentures, hybrid dentures are fixed permanently into place on the implant posts.
Which Option is Right for Me?
Both traditional partial dentures and hybrid dentures have their benefits as well as their drawbacks. During your initial consultation, we perform a thorough oral examination and go over these options to determine the best solution for your needs.
While traditional dentures restore many of the functions of your missing teeth, as well as the quality of your smile, they do require additional care every night. They needed to be taken out every night and cleaned, as well as left out overnight while you sleep. Leaving them out at night gives your gum tissue a chance to rest after supporting your replacement teeth all day. Partial dentures can come loose when you are eating or even while you are speaking. This can lead to embarrassing situations as well as painful denture sores. Also, they cannot stop bone loss in the jaw, meaning that they need to be changed to accommodate your changing jawbone.
Hybrid dentures address all of these issues. They are easy to care for and can be brushed and flossed just like your natural teeth. They are fixed permanently into place and do not need to be removed. The posts that support your dental restorations hold your teeth securely in place. You do not need to worry about your teeth slipping out of place or falling out. The posts provide support for your new teeth rather than your gums, making them much more comfortable. Additionally, the posts stimulate your jawbone, stopping and preventing bone loss in the jaw.
While hybrid dentures do provide many significant benefits, they also have a few drawbacks. For one, a surgical procedure is needed to place the implant posts. Following surgery, there is a recovery period. Because of their more involved nature, implants are more expensive than traditional partial dentures. Moreover, if you do not have enough bone mass in your jaw, you may require an additional surgical procedure known as a bone graft. This adds cost and time to your procedure.
All of these benefits and disadvantages and more will be discussed during your initial consultation. Once we have gone over your treatment options, we can then help you to choose the best treatment to meet your needs.
If you are missing sections of teeth, replacing those teeth is essential for giving you your life back. To learn more about your options and find out which one is right for you, give Simon K. Choyee, DDS, Inc. a call at (562) 947-4781 to schedule your consultation today. |
