Dentures & Dental Implants in Pembroke, ON
If one or more of your teeth are missing, there are a number of ways to replace them. Dr. Bruce Harle offers complete and partial dentures, dental bridges and dental implants in Pembroke, Ontario to improve the function and appearance of your smile.
IMPLANT DENTISTRY
Considered the standard of care to replace missing teeth in a number of different situations, dental implants are offered as an alternative to conventional bridges and partial or complete dentures. When replacing a single tooth, implants can generally be placed and restored without the need to modify the adjacent teeth. As such, implants are the closest thing to your natural teeth.
A dental implant is an artificial root made of titanium metal. It is inserted into the jawbone and allowed to integrate (heal). After the implant has integrated (generally 3-6 months) it then acts as an anchor to hold the replacement tooth or teeth.
Implants can be used to:
- Replace a single tooth
- Support a bridge to replace multiple missing teeth
- Support a bridge when all teeth are missing
- Provide secure fixation for a removable partial or complete denture
PROSTHODONTICS
Prosthodontic procedures are performed to replace missing teeth, which will make chewing easier, improve your appearance and keep your teeth, gums and jaws healthy.
A Bridge is a dental restoration that takes the place of one or more missing teeth. It extends across an area that has no teeth and is held firmly in place by natural teeth on each side of the missing one(s). A bridge has replacement teeth that are attached to crowns that completely cover your natural teeth on either side of the space to be filled. The replacement teeth, together with the crowns, form a solid unit that is cemented into place to restore your natural function and appearance. A bridge is fixed in place and cannot be removed.
A Partial Denture may provide a solution in cases where the remaining teeth are not suitable to support a bridge or where more than just a few teeth are missing. Partial dentures are made up of one or more artificial teeth that are supported by a metal and acrylic framework and held in place by clasps that fit around your natural teeth. The partial denture is removable and taken out for cleaning and at night while sleeping.
A Complete Denture or "false teeth" is used when all of your natural teeth are missing. It is removable and held in place by suction or implants (see Implant Dentistry). There are two types of complete dentures, conventional and immediate.
- Conventional Dentures are fabricated and placed after your teeth have been extracted and the gums and jaw tissues have healed.
- Immediate Dentures are made before your teeth are removed. Measurements and workups are performed when your natural teeth are still present. Immediate dentures are placed at the time your teeth are extracted. The benefit of immediate dentures is that you are not without teeth during the healing period. During the healing period, your bones and gums shrink and your immediate dentures will need to be relined for a proper fit.
An Overdenture is a removable complete denture that fits over implants or some remaining natural teeth (that have been reshaped). The denture rests on the implants or reshaped teeth and the gum tissue, providing better retention and therefore better function, compared to regular complete dentures.