​​Angela Hilton-Foley, DMD

(813) 891-1212

Cosmetic & Family Dentistry

Immediate dentures can be made in advance of the extraction your teeth, and then placed in your mouth the day of surgery, so that you never have to go without teeth.  These immediate dentures are used as a band aid covering over the extraction areas.  Then they are lined and relined as needed, until adequate healing has occurred  (6-12 months).  Once enough time has passed, and the gum and bone have remodeled, a new denture or partial is recommended (keeping the original as a spare.) The second denture can be made of wax first, with a try- in, so that you are able to approve of its appearance and make changes as desired, before it is set permanently.  People with dentures still need to visit their dentist regularly to have their dentures checked, adjust any sore spots, reline or repair broken or loose fitting dentures, and have oral cancer screenings annually.

Dentures and Partials

Dentures and Removable Partial Dentures are used when there is a need to replace missing teeth, lost to extraction, periodontal disease or decay.  A denture replaces all the teeth in an arch, whereas a partial, may just replace a few missing teeth. Both partials and dentures are made of an acrylic base with acrylic teeth.  In the case of a partial, most have titanium or chromium metal as the base under the acrylic, with wire clasps that hook around the teeth, or are enclosed within an attachment of a special precision crown.  Acrylic flippers are a quick and inexpensive solution to a single missing tooth. It can serve as a temporary partial, until a more permanent solution is found, such as an implant or fully cemented fixed  porcelain bridge.

Removable Partial Dentures

Removable Partial Dentures are used to replace missing teeth.  When a tooth is lost in the middle of the arch, teeth will shift, rotate and erupt to try to close the space.  Unfortunately this shifting creates a change in the occlusion (bite), if not corrected. The space can be remedied with a variety of options.  Implants, fixed porcelain bridges or removable partial dentures.  There are different types of partials that can be made, some with metal wires that connect to the teeth to hold the partial in place, and other types that hug the teeth and are gum & tooth colored to eliminate visible metal clasps.  An example of this cosmetic partial is the Valplast partial.  It looks like a retainer and is the most natural (see picture).

It is truly amazing how life like dentures have become.  We will custom co-design your particular look according to your preferences, while following the requirements for proper form and function. Generally male teeth are flatter, larger and more square, while female teeth tend to be oval or rounded, smaller and of differing heights relative to each other.  With women, the two centrals and canines are often the same length, while the two lateral incisors are slightly shorter.  Women tend to display their top teeth more often, whereas, men show their lower teeth. 

With dentures:   

• You can select the exact color, size and shape that you would like your teeth to appear. 
  
• Select the length and position of the teeth relative to your face shape and bone structure
• Match your skin and eye color with the color of the teeth and gums
• Re-create the look of your smile from an old photograph or that of a magazine 
• Customize the final appearance according to your gender, size and shape.