What to choose if you have most of your snap on dentures?

Both tooth lessens and the absence of a dozen or even several teeth are a big problem – they disturb the functions of biting and chewing food, speech functions, and the smile’s aesthetics. What solutions does dentistry offer today for complete or partial tooth loss, and which Snap on denture are the best?

Dental reconstruction in the case of tooth lessens or the loss of several teeth is a controversial topic, so I will discuss it in the next two articles. In the first one, I will focus on the most popular, although imperfect, removable dentures, and in the second one, I will present the topic of tooth reconstruction using fixed dentures in the form of bridges on implants.

Why do we lose teeth?

Teeth can be lost due to disease, accident, poor oral hygiene or neglected Virginia dental care. According to Eurobarometer research, over 40% of Poles aged 65-74 do not have teeth, one of the worst results among developed USA. Both tooth lessens and the absence of a dozen or even several teeth are a big problem in the context of the function of biting and chewing food, speech function, and the aesthetics of the smile. When we lose our teeth, we stop smiling, our face “droops,” and its features change. Missing teeth can lower self-esteem, cause a sense of shame and increase withdrawal from social life. A properly selected Snap on dentures will restore not only the ability to chew and the ability to clearly articulate sounds but also an attractive appearance and self-confidence.

Depending on whether we are dealing with the loss of all teeth (so-called edentulism) or several (-dozens), we have several different solutions to choose from. All of them are a type of prosthesis, i.e., an artificial replacement for the missing part of an organ – in this case, teeth.

Types of removable dentures

The most common solution to the problem of tooth lessens is removable dentures, i.e., removable ones (the patient removes the denture from the mouth at night). There are three basic types of removable dentures:

• full and partial dentures
• overdentures
• skeletal prostheses

The choice of prosthesis depends on whether we are dealing with complete edentulism or loss of part of the teeth and on the patient’s preferences, including budget possibilities.

Fixed snap on dentures

Fixed dentures consist of an acrylic plate and artificial tooth crowns. They can come in various variants: a partial denture is used when several or a dozen teeth are missing, while a complete denture replaces the absence of all teeth (so-called edentulism).

Dentures that fit completely in the mouth rest on the mucous membranes of the vestibule and palate and stay on the surface, thanks to retention and stabilization forces. Additionally, patients sometimes use special denture adhesives for support. Partial dentures are attached with special metal clasps attached to the teeth.

Fixed dentures are a good way to recreate the aesthetic effect and the chewing function, but they have significant drawbacks – patients may not be able to bite hard food, and they also note that the denture does not always stay in the right position. Partial dentures can accelerate the loss of remaining teeth, especially those with metal clasps.

Fixed dentures are, with certain limitations, reimbursed by the Virginia dental clinic.

Overdenture snap on dentures

Overdenture dentures are also removable, but their design is based on additional attachment to implants or, less often, the roots of the remaining teeth. They are among the most advanced and precise removable prosthetic restorations.

The prosthesis is held in place thanks to a system of latches (usually ball-type). To attach such a prosthesis to implants, we need to implant at least two implants in the mandible (lower arch) and in the maxilla (upper arch); there are usually four implants. Such a denture is much more stable and has a stronger connection with the ground than a fixed denture. Overdenture dentures are more expensive and are not reimbursed.

Skeletal snap on dentures

Skeletal dentures are a solution available only for patients who have not lost all their teeth (or their roots), and their position allows the denture to be attached to them. 

 They consist of a metal part (skeleton) attached to the teeth and acrylic, aesthetic elements replacing fragments of gums and lost teeth. The fixing clasps are individually cast for each patient. The design of such a prosthesis is largely based on the natural teeth, thanks to which framework dentures are characterized by relatively good stabilization on the base, enabling chewing food, speaking and laughing without fear of “teeth falling out.” Skeletal prostheses are not reimbursed.

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Which prosthesis should I choose?

The key issue when choosing a prosthesis is its stability. When considering removable dentures, the most stable solution is an overlay Snap on denture, and if you have some teeth, also a skeleton denture. However, much depends on how many teeth the patient has left and their arrangement.

All removable dentures have a common drawback – they must be removed at night and require great care when it comes to hygiene. The production time of the prosthesis is approximately two weeks. 

Undoubtedly, settling snap on dentures have the most disadvantages – they are the least stable and require replacement every few years. If such a Snap on dentures is mechanically damaged or deformed, e.g., due to high temperature, it should be replaced immediately. The most significant disadvantage of settling prostheses, however, is that this type of prosthesis does not protect the patient against bone loss, which in turn may have a decisive influence on the possibility of future implantation, i.e., changing the prosthesis from settling prosthesis to epiphyseal prosthesis or bridges. The perfect version of prosthetic tooth reconstruction in the case of their complete or significant absence is a fixed prosthesis in the form of bridges mounted on implants.

 Let us remember that the comfort of everyday (current and future) life largely depends on properly selecting the prosthesis, so it is worth prioritizing the decision on its type with a detailed analysis and Virginia dental clinic, preferably a dental prosthetist.