Dentures

Signs you might need it

• Several teeth, or all the teeth in one jaw, are missing.
• A gap where a bridge or an implant is not an option, or not yet.
• An old denture that has become loose, cracked or worn, or that rubs.

What happens, step by step

1. Examination

   Which teeth remain, whether any of them need treating or removing beforehand, and the state of the gums and bone the denture will rest on. Full, partial, or a denture held by implants: the doctor explains what suits your mouth.

2. Impressions

   Moulds of your mouth, and a record of how your jaws meet, so the teeth can be set at the right height and position.

3. Try-in

   The teeth are set in wax so you can see the shape, colour and fit, and ask for changes, before the denture is finished.

4. Fitting

   The finished denture is fitted and adjusted. A partial denture is made in acrylic, or on a thin metal frame with clasps that hold onto the remaining teeth.

5. Easing

   Sore spots in the weeks after fitting are common and are eased by small adjustments. Several short visits are usual.

How it feels afterwards

A new denture feels bulky to begin with, and speaking and eating take practice; start with soft food cut small. Take it out at night and clean it daily, and clean the gums and any remaining teeth too. Gums change shape over time, so a denture that was snug may later need relining or remaking.

What decides the cost

A fee is only worked out once the doctor has examined you. It depends on:

• Full or partial, and for one jaw or both.
• The material: acrylic, a metal frame, or a flexible base; and how many teeth are on it.
• Whether any teeth need extracting beforehand, or implants are part of the plan.
• The cost is told to you in writing before anything is done.