If a patient comes into the office with a loose front tooth that requires an extraction or if they present with multiple anterior (front) teeth requiring extractions, an immediate denture is a treatment option.
No one wants to walk around with a missing tooth and if fabricating a fixed bridge is not part of the eventual treatment plan, then an immediate denture becomes a viable option. These can be used as a temporary restoration for patients contemplating an implant restoration or can be used to fabricate a more permanent denture.
Impressions are taken of the top and bottom teeth and a bite registration. These are poured up in dental stone and sent to a dental laboratory along with a desired denture shade. In the lab, a technician carefully removes the tooth or teeth cast, that are to be extracted. From the dental stone cast, and uses a denture tooth (or teeth) as a replacement.
Using this modified cast he fabricates a denture which will allow a dentist to extract the tooth (or teeth) that need to be removed and insert a denture immediately afterwards.
My patient gets to leave the dental office wearing the new denture and is able to maintain a normal appearance. After allowing for healing this denture may be relined to compensate for any shrinkage at the site of the extraction(s).
Although immediate dentures can be used as a permanent replacement for the missing teeth, often they are an interim replacement used until a patient is ready to have implant restoration placed.
