Fit & Function
How dentures fit and function
Turbyfill dentures offer the most precise fit and, also due to their construction, therefore provide excellent function. However, even Turbyfill complete dentures (complete dentures are dentures that rest directly on the gums) cannot achieve the natural feel and function of real teeth.
A much better alternative are overdentures, which are anchored to remaining teeth or dental implants. Maintaining a few natural teeth and replacing the missing teeth with an overdenture has several advantages:
- Natural teeth help preserve bone.
- The remaining natural teeth bear some of the chewing pressure, which reduces pressure on other areas of the jaw.
- The remaining teeth improve the stability of the denture and make it less likely to shift in your mouth.
- Your sense of where your jaw is in space and the pressure you are placing on the denture is better than the sense you have after losing all of your teeth.
An overdenture can be particularly helpful for the lower jaw, but it is an option for almost anyone who has a few teeth remaining, providing the teeth that will be preserved are healthy enough. Canines and premolars are the most common teeth selected because of their root length and position in the jaw. The teeth are covered with thin metal castings called copings, which fit into openings in the denture. Attachments also can be put on the copings so the denture is better retained in the mouth.
Overdentures also can fit over dental implants instead of natural teeth. If you have lost all your teeth in the upper or lower jaw, and especially the lower, you will be much happier with the function of an implant-retained overdenture than a complete denture.