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Dentures are quite helpful, and they do not make you feel left behind in the crowd. Apart from just making you able to eat without any concern, dentures also impart confidence.
But, ever wondered how they are made? What is the thing that helps you to be the same you were earlier with natural teeth?
Let’s know more and know all about the making of dentures.
History of dentures
In the past, a lot of materials were used to replace the teeth. Initially, animal teeth and bone pieces were predominantly used to replace this tooth loss issue. Two molars were found wrapped in gold wire in EL Gigel’s Egyptian tomb, giving the indication of tooth replacement techniques.
False teeth in early stages were majorly made up of ivory, platinum, and porcelain. Over time, many materials were used, but did not last for long due to the changes and increasing demand for ‘comfort level.’
Many alloys and plastic resins were also used. However, today, sticking to acrylic resins and porcelain seems feasible. There are a lot of benefits behind sticking to these materials.
Let’s discuss the material used in teeth and framework to know the exact making of dentures.
The denture teeth
Porcelain is what comes to our mind when we talk about the teeth material in dentures. However, these days acrylic resin is widely used. Both of these materials have their own pros and cons.
Porcelain is a glass-like material and was once widely used to make teeth look-alikes.It has a translucent appearance and looks like tooth enamel. It is also easy to match the color with the natural teeth.
It is still used at some places due to all the above-mentioned advantages. Along with all these advantages, porcelain is more durable than other materials.
Looking at the cons, porcelain is brittle in nature and can easily break off by falling on the hard ground. Not only this, porcelain teeth can affect the natural teeth as well. These can easily wear off the natural ones. Thus, porcelain ones are better if used in full dentures instead of partial dentures.
To overcome these disadvantages, acrylic resin is used these days commonly in dentures. Acrylic ones adhere to the base easily and do not break off in less time. It is also cheaper than those costly porcelain teeth.
Acrylic resin is lighter in weight, making it suitable for longer use. However, with pros, there are cons as well. Acrylic resin can easily wear off, thus, need replacement in few years. 5-7 years is the average life of teeth made of this material. There are a good variety of best denture adhesives available on the market, use one that suits you.
Other than these two, plastic was also used in some cases. However, these two materials are much more preferred today due to all the above-mentioned advantages.
Denture framework
Dentures are incomplete without a framework. The framework is as important as teeth. Be it a partial denture or a full denture; the framework is used to support the teeth. It is also known as a plate. The plate can be made from rigid acrylic resin or a flexible material like nylon.
If we talk about the way of making it, the dentists take an impression of gums and make a mold. Afterward, the mold is used to make the wax model where the teeth are added. In the end, the testing is done with the help of the patient to check the suitability as per the individual requirements.
The size, the color, and the comfort level are checked appropriately and with a lot of precision. Plates made of acrylic resin are quite helpful in making the dentures where the artificial gum line is to be made.
It is quite easy to match the color of the gumline as the material can be colored to resemble the same. The material is also stronger and fits well. The plates made from acrylic resin are good for partial dentures as they can be hidden behind the natural teeth easily.
Thus, this was all about the materials and the ways of making teeth and the framework in dentures.
Despite thinking of the materials used in the making of the dentures, it is really important to keep the natural gums healthy to attach the artificial ones with them without thinking twice. Thus, taking care of the same is crucial. The overall strength of the dentures can help you in predicting the age of dentures.