Replace missing teeth comfortably
Missing teeth affect more than your smile. They make chewing harder, change your speech and let the remaining teeth drift. Dentures are a proven, cost-effective way to replace one tooth, several teeth or a full arch, and modern materials look far more natural than the dentures of the past.
Acclaim Dental provides custom-made full and partial dentures, immediate dentures, relines and repairs, along with other prosthetic work planned by our dentists.
Types of dentures
- Full dentures replace all the teeth in the upper or lower jaw.
- Partial dentures replace some teeth and clip onto the remaining natural teeth. Available with a discreet metal (chrome cobalt) frame or in flexible acrylic.
- Immediate dentures are fitted on the day of extractions so you leave with teeth.
- Relines and rebases refresh the fit of an existing denture as your gums change.
What to expect
Assessment
We examine your mouth, discuss what you want from your new teeth and plan the best type of denture for you.
Impressions and bite
Accurate impressions and bite records are taken so the denture fits your mouth and your jaw position.
Try-in
You see the denture in wax first, so shade, shape and position can be adjusted before it's finished.
Fit and adjust
The finished denture is fitted and fine-tuned. A review appointment sorts any sore spots as you get used to it.
Getting used to new dentures
New dentures feel big and strange for the first week or two. Speech takes practice (reading aloud helps), and eating is easier if you start with soft food cut small and chew on both sides. Sore spots are normal early on and are fixed with a quick adjustment, so don't stop wearing the denture and don't try to adjust it yourself. Most people are comfortable within a few weeks.
Relines, repairs and replacements
Your gums and jaw bone change shape over time, particularly in the first year after extractions, so a denture that fitted well can become loose. A reline replaces the fitting surface to restore a snug fit and is far cheaper than a new denture. Cracks, broken clasps and lost teeth can usually be repaired in a day or two. Dentures generally need replacing every five to ten years as the teeth wear and the fit changes.
Keeping the rest of your mouth healthy
If you have a partial denture, the natural teeth it clips to need extra care because plaque collects around the clasps. Take the denture out at night to let your gums rest, clean it over a towel or basin of water so it doesn't break if dropped, and keep coming for check-ups. We check the fit, the gums under the denture and any remaining teeth, and screen for oral cancer.
Other options for missing teeth
Dentures aren't the only answer. A fixed bridge can replace one or a few teeth without anything removable. Dental implants, which replace the root as well as the tooth and can also stabilise a loose full denture, are provided at our sister practice, Coral Coast Dental in Bargara, and we can refer you. Your dentist will go through what's suitable for your mouth and budget.