Technically advanced dentures in Edinburgh

Dentures are artificial teeth and gums that are formed to your mouth and created by your dentists to replace lost or removed natural teeth. Dentures can either be full or partial, meaning they can either replace all teeth on either the top or bottom gum line, or just a few that are missing. Regardless of what kind of dentures you may need, they will be custom designed to fit your mouth, and visually matched to your existing teeth.

In the past, the artificial teeth that make up dentures were made of porcelain or plastic, but more modern dentures are generally made of a hard resin. The supporting structure of dentures that resembles the natural gum line is often made of a similar resin, or a more flexible polymer material that fits snugly on the natural gum line.

The materials used to make denture teeth are known to be more fragile than natural teeth and can easily chip or crack if dropped or otherwise uncared for. This material also wears down much quicker than natural teeth and should be replaced with a new set of dentures every five years or so.

Partial dentures are often used instead of other tooth replacement methods when the surrounding natural teeth are not strong enough to support structures such as dental bridges.

The partial dentures are fitted to the part of the gum line that they will sit on, and they fasten to nearby natural teeth to keep from falling out of place. They are not permanent and can be easily taken out at any time for cleaning and while sleeping.

Full dentures, or complete dentures, are dentures that replace all your natural teeth. You can have them fitted to your top or bottom gum line, and they are held in place by suction and/or the help of an oral adhesive. Just like partial dentures, they are easily removable.

Immediate dentures are created before the teeth that are being replaced have been removed. They are used immediately after tooth extraction and during the healing process, which can be up to six months. These dentures can be more easily refitted than permanent dentures to accommodate for mouth changes as the swelling in the gums and jaw subsides while healing. The immediate dentures will be disposed of once the healing process is complete and your mouth is ready for permanent dentures.

Overdentures can be used if traditional dentures prove to be extremely uncomfortable or if you have a few natural teeth left. Overdentures are fitted over the roots of natural teeth and either rest on these or on dental implants, if there are no natural teeth to fit over. Some find this type of denture more comfortable, and they are also easily removable.

A clinical dental technician, or CDT, is a dental technician who has undertaken years of additional training to become an expert in their field. This means they have an extended role that enables them to work directly with their patients in addition to making their dental restorations. Having a clinical dental technician onsite at Scottish Denture Clinic means that our patients are able to work closely with us to plan and design their dentures, so they can enjoy the smile of their dreams.

Digital dentures offer a fast and predictable treatment choice. We will take a scan of your mouth and plan your dentures using state-of-the-art software. This also enables us to show you a real time visualisation of your potential new smile before we start creating your dentures so that we can work on the final design together.