Who needs dentures?
- Several teeth or a whole arch are missing
- Your remaining teeth cannot support a bridge
- Damaged teeth need to come out
- Your current denture feels loose or sore
What types of dentures are there?
Dentures come as complete or partial sets, and implants can hold several designs.
Complete Dentures
Complete dentures, also called full dentures, replace every tooth in an upper or lower arch. They rest on the gums and come out for cleaning.
Partial Dentures
A partial denture replaces some missing teeth, even a single tooth, and leaves your natural teeth in place. Clasps or attachments hold it on an acrylic base or a cast metal framework. The Canadian Dental Association notes that a partial will not hold firmly if the teeth and gums around it are not healthy.
Immediate Dentures
Immediate dentures go in right after planned extractions, so you do not go without teeth while you heal. The gums and jawbone change shape as they heal, so the denture needs adjustments and later a reline or replacement.
Conventional Dentures: how long do you wait after teeth are pulled?
Conventional dentures are made after the extraction sites have healed. The University of Iowa College of Dentistry prefers six months of healing first. It notes that dentures started six to eight weeks after extraction can need a reline or remake within the first year, because the bone keeps shrinking. The dentist tells you when your gums are ready.
Implant-Supported Dentures
Implant-supported dentures attach to dental implants for extra hold. A removable snap-in denture, or overdenture, clips on and comes out for cleaning. A fixed type stays in, so you clean under it and around the implants every day with the tools the team shows you, and keep your maintenance visits.
Implant dentures in Vaughan: who are they for?
Implant dentures suit adults whose jawbone and gums can hold implants and who want a denture that moves less when they eat and speak. They involve surgery and months of healing. Ask the team whether a removable or a fixed option suits you.
Who should not have implant dentures?
Implants may not suit you if you have severe jawbone loss, diabetes that is not under control, or certain bone or autoimmune conditions. Smoking and vaping slow healing. Implants go in only once the jaw has finished growing.
What are the risks of implant surgery?
The US Food and Drug Administration lists these risks:
- An implant that fails to fuse with the bone or works loose later
- Infection in the gum and bone around the implant
- Numbness of the lip, chin or tongue from nerve injury, which may last a long time or, rarely, stay permanent
- Injury to the sinus with upper implants
The jawbone needs three to nine months to fuse with an implant, according to Cleveland Clinic.
What do implant dentures cost?
Implant dentures cost more than a conventional denture because the total adds surgery and implants. For what implant treatment costs at My City Dental, see our dental implants page. The CDCP does not cover implants or implant-supported dentures.
What happens at a denture assessment?
A denture assessment at My City Dental checks whether your mouth is ready for a denture and which design fits it. The dentist examines your teeth, gums, bite and any denture you wear now. X-rays are taken only if the dentist decides you need them after your history and exam.
Any decay, infection or gum disease may need treatment before the final denture is made.
How are dentures made?
1. Examination and Planning
The dentist assesses your teeth, gums, bite and goals.
2. Preliminary Treatment
Some patients need extractions, fillings or gum treatment first.
3. Impressions or Digital Records
Physical impressions or digital scans record the shape of your mouth.
4. Bite Measurements
The dentist records how your jaws meet. That record sets tooth position and denture height.
5. Trial Denture
A trial setup lets you check how the teeth look and feel. You can ask for changes before the final denture is produced.
6. Final Placement
At the fitting the dentist checks fit, bite, pressure areas and speech. Follow-up adjustments are common with immediate dentures and new complete dentures.
What does it feel like to get used to new dentures?
New dentures feel bulky at first. The NHS says getting used to them takes a few weeks. Start with soft foods cut into small pieces and chew on both sides.
Sore spots usually settle once the dentist eases the pressure area. Book an adjustment if a sore spot does not settle or the denture keeps moving. Never reshape the denture yourself.
After extractions or implant surgery, call the clinic if bleeding is still heavy 4 hours later or pain is not easing after 48 hours. Call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department if you have trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling that spreads toward your eye or neck, fever with facial swelling, or bleeding that will not stop.
How do you clean removable dentures?
Clean removable dentures every day.
- Rinse the denture after eating.
- Brush it with a soft brush and a denture cleanser or mild soap, outside your mouth. Rinse it well before you put it back in.
- Brush your gums, tongue and any natural teeth.
Skip regular toothpaste, which the NHS warns can damage dentures. Keep boiling water and household cleaners away from it too.
The Canadian Dental Association advises taking dentures out every night and soaking them in a denture cleanser or warm water. Use warm water only if your denture has metal clasps.
When does denture adhesive help?
Denture adhesive adds grip for some people whose denture already fits well. Adhesive should never hide a cracked or badly fitting denture. Needing more and more of it means the fit needs checking.
Why do dentures need adjustments, repairs and relines?
Dentures need adjustments, repairs and relines because your gums and jawbone keep shrinking after teeth are lost. The denture does not change with them, so it loosens over time.
Denture Adjustment
An adjustment eases a pressure area or fine-tunes the bite.
Denture Repair
A repair fixes a cracked base, a broken tooth or a damaged clasp.
If your denture breaks, stop wearing it until a dental professional has checked it. Keep every piece and call the clinic. Never use household glue.
Denture Reline
A reline adds material to the fitting surface so the denture follows the current shape of your gums.
Denture Replacement
A new denture makes sense when the old one is badly worn, keeps breaking or no longer fits after adjustments.
What can dentures do for you?
Depending on the design and fit, dentures help you chew, speak more clearly and fill visible gaps. They also support your lips and cheeks.
What are the limits and risks of dentures?
Dentures do not work exactly like natural teeth. They can move when you eat or speak. They crack or wear down over time.
The NHS links poorly cleaned dentures to a sore mouth and infections. Book a check if your gums turn very red or bleed.
Dentures or a dental bridge: which fits your gap?
A dental bridge is fixed in place and replaces missing teeth next to each other. A partial denture is removable and can replace teeth in several parts of the mouth.
Which is better for seniors: dentures or dental implants?
Neither is better for every senior. Age alone does not rule out implants. Cleveland Clinic notes there is no upper age limit. Your health, your jawbone and your budget decide it.
A dental implant replaces a tooth root and holds a crown, a bridge or a denture. Conventional dentures avoid surgery and rest on the gums, so they move more.
A conventional denture is the wrong choice if you need teeth that stay still. Implants are the wrong choice when your bone or health rules out surgery.
What is the average cost of dentures in Ontario?
Published prices for one standard complete denture run about $1,500 to $1,950 per arch at other Toronto-area clinics. A full set means an upper and a lower, so expect about double that figure. Your own cost comes in a written estimate after an exam.
What's the difference between cheap and expensive dentures?
Cheaper and pricier dentures differ in their materials and in how much custom setup and try-in work goes into them. They also differ in what the quote includes. Some clinics list the laboratory fee separately, so compare quotes line by line. A cast metal partial costs more than an acrylic one at clinics that publish both.
Are dentures covered by insurance in Canada?
Denture coverage in Canada depends on your private plan or public program. Private plans set their own limits, so ask your insurer for a predetermination. The reply is an estimate of what the plan may pay, not a promise. My City Dental offers direct insurance billing.
My City Dental accepts the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). Under the CDCP Dental Benefits Guide, coverage depends on the service and your eligibility. Complete and partial dentures are listed with replacement limits, some need preauthorization, and dentures supported by implants are not covered. Ontario's Seniors Dental Care Program partly covers dentures for eligible low-income seniors through public health units.
Frequently asked questions about dentures
How long do dentures last?
Dentures last about seven to ten years on average, according to Cleveland Clinic. After that most people need a new set. Cleveland Clinic also suggests a reline every one to two years or sooner when the fit changes. A denture that clicks, slips or hurts needs a check before then.
What type of dentures are the most comfortable to wear?
The most comfortable denture is the one that fits your mouth closely. Implant dentures move less than dentures that rest on the gums, and they need surgery. If your gums are sore or thin, ask the team whether a soft liner suits you.
Why can't you wear your dentures at night?
Wearing dentures overnight traps food against the gums, which the NHS says raises the risk of gum infection and decay. A denture worn during sleep is also a choking risk. Take removable dentures out at night unless your dentist tells you otherwise. Keep them in water or a denture cleanser.