COMPLETE DENTURES

What are complete acrylic dentures?

Complete or total acrylic dentures are types of removable dentures used when all teeth have been lost. They are a prosthetic device that patients can remove by themselves.

Complete acrylic dentures replace lost tissue with an aesthetically functioning unit of dental arches, improving the patients’ health and quality of life.

When to opt for complete acrylic dentures?

Complete acrylic dentures are an option when all teeth have been lost. Complete toothlessness is commonly related to extensive loss of soft tissue (gingival level) and alveolar ridge resorption. Complete dentures replace the lost tissue. Nowadays complete toothlessness can also be solved by fixed prosthetic appliances on 4 or 6 implants in a jaw (all-on-4 orall-on-6, here you can find out more about this solution).

What materials are complete acrylic dentures made of and what do they consist of?

Complete acrylic dentures are made of acrylic (a special kind of plastics).

They consist of a prosthetic base with built-in false teeth.

The prosthetic base is a part of the denture that sticks to the mucosa (the tight fit of the base ensures the dentures retention), it is produced in pink acrylic matching the colour of the natural mucosa. It replaces lost soft tissue (gingiva) and the resorbed alveolar ridge (part of the jaw bone where teeth once were).

False teeth are built into the prosthetic base. They are most commonly produced in acrylic, but can also be made from other materials (e.g. composite, ceramics).

What are the advantages of complete acrylic dentures?

The advantage of complete acrylic dentures is definitely their affordability and relatively simple production.

What is the procedure of producing complete acrylic dentures?

The procedure of producing complete acrylic dentures:

• After the initial examination and diagnostics, we primarily determine whether you are viable for complete acrylic dentures, followed by the arrangement about the future work and then a work plan, appointment schedule and production timeline are organised
• The next step is taking impressions, determining jaw relation and bite height. Based on the impressions and all the defined parameters,a technician makes the dentures in a dental laboratory.
• During the fitting of dentures,aesthetics and the functionality are checked. If everything is satisfactory, the technician finishes the production in the dental laboratory.
• When being presented with the complete acrylic dentures the patient is advised on chewing, speech, denture care and oral hygiene.
• A follow-up examination and possible correction of dentures takes place. When the dentures are completely set onto the mucosa of the alveolar ridge and the palate they can cause pressure on some parts of the mucosa which subsequently may lead to redness and/or lesions on the mucosa.

How long does it take to produce complete acrylic dentures and how many visits to the dentist are required?

The whole process of producing complete acrylic dentures from the first impression to the finished dentures takes about 10 days, but if necessary it can be done in 5 days.

During that period, 5 visits are required.

What to think about before making complete acrylic dentures?

If you are considering complete acrylic dentures you should know they are a prosthetic replacement which:

• enables the regaining of lost chewing function, improves speech, contributes to enhanced aesthetics of the lower third of the face, and thus improves the quality of life;
• is not fixed to a surface but achieves stability by its direct suction to the mucosa. The upper complete dentures (maxillary) are significantly more stable than the lower ones (mandibulary) since they cover a larger area of soft tissue (mucosa of the palate and the alveolar ridge) and the firm stability is achieved by creating negative pressure ( avacuum between the mucosa and the dentures). The surface of the lower jaw that can be covered by dentures is significantly smaller, the size of the dental ridge covered by dentures is often insufficient and with mucosal mobility (a consequence of the activity of muscle attachment to the lower jaw) can lead to the lifting of lower dentures from their basal seat.

Dentures require getting used to and it is a process which varies in length with different patients.

What to do after making a complete acrylic denture?

After you receive your complete dentures you should be patient in getting used to them; in the beginning they will feel like a foreign object in your mouth and it takes time to learn how to eat and speak with them.

Very often after a short period of wearing dentures they may cause a feeling of irritation on the mucosa in some places and wearing them may cause pain or a lifting of dentures while chewing. These problems usually occur due to setting the dentures onto the mucosa or having premature contact on some position of the bite. Such imperfections can easily be fixed by a dentist correcting the dentures. Therefore, it is important not to skip follow-up examinations. Wearing dentures for at least two hours prior to visiting the dentist is recommended since it allows for exact identification of sore spots on the mucosa.

Regular check-ups are also important, at least twice a year. It is important to monitor your oral health and the condition of the dentures. Due to gradual bone resorption under the dentures they can, in time, become unstable („too big “) and fall out. They need relining (with acrylic material) to improve their stability.

The mucosa under the dentures, especially in women, can develop fungal (Candida albicans) inflammation and inadequate denture hygiene can lead to mucosal inflammation and bad breath.

Dentures need to be brushed with toothpaste and a toothbrush after every meal and submerged in a glass with solution of denture disinfectant (denture disinfectant tablets) once a day. They should be submerged for at least 15 minutes and then thoroughly rinsed with water (or in accordance with the instructions by the manufacturer).

If the dentures are not in your mouth, they should be kept in a glass of water, because of the material they are made of.

Dentures should be handled carefully to avoid breaking and bending. Dentures are most commonly damaged when out of the mouth, as a consequence of falling while being cleaned.

Damages to the dentures base and/or teeth can easily be repaired in a dentist’s office and/or dental laboratory.

Why choose to make complete acrylic dentures in OUR practice?

1. We have 17 years of experience in producing prosthetic replacements.

2. We try to make you feel comfortable and relaxed in our practice,without any fear.

3. We respect your wishes relating to the health and beauty of your future smile and try to fulfil them completely.

4. Our goal is to make your smile functional and aesthetically perfect.

5. Your complete acrylic dentures will be produced in a renowned dental laboratory and will be of outstanding quality and aesthetics.

6. The work in your mouth will be painless and safe, we will do our best to make it as comfortable as possible and our service as good.

7. Your „before and after“photos of the complete acrylic dentures will be preserved.

8. At any moment we are available to you for advice and consultation via mobile phone, e-mail and social media.

9. We try to keep our appointments.

10. You can pay in cash, but also in interest free instalments: American Express up to 12 instalments, Diners up to 6 instalments, Erste & Steiermärkische bank Maestro and MasterCard up to 12 instalments.

11. There is free parking in front of the practice.

If we meet your criteria, feel free to contact us and make an appointment.

If these pages do not provide you with an answer to your question on complete acrylic dentures, dental health and dental services, feel free to contact us.

We are at your disposal!