Dentures replace missing teeth removably. They are the least invasive way to do it and often the most affordable — and they ask more of you in adapting than either a bridge or an implant does.
A complete denture replaces all the teeth in a jaw and rests on the gum and the ridge of bone beneath it. A partial denture fills in around teeth you still have, and is held partly by them, which usually makes it noticeably more stable than a complete one.
The thing worth understanding before you start is that a denture sits on tissue rather than in bone. It does not stimulate the ridge the way tooth roots do, so the bone underneath slowly shrinks. That is why a denture that fits beautifully today will loosen over the years and need adjusting, relining or eventually remaking. It is not a fault; it is how the mouth changes, and knowing it in advance makes the maintenance make sense.
The Main Types
Complete dentures
, replacing a full upper or lower arch. Upper dentures generally hold better, because the palate gives suction to work with; lower ones have far less to grip and are the more common source of frustration.
Partial dentures in acrylic
, which are simpler and usually quicker to make, and can have teeth added later if more are lost.
Partial dentures on a metal framework
, which are thinner, stronger and generally more comfortable, and can be designed to rest on the teeth rather than pressing the gum.
Immediate dentures
, fitted straight after extractions so you are not without teeth. They need relining or remaking once the gum has healed and shrunk, and that should be planned and budgeted from the outset.
Implant-retained overdentures
, where a removable denture clips onto implants. This addresses the stability problem directly and is worth asking about, particularly for a lower complete denture. See dental implants.
What Treatment Involves
Dentures are made over a series of appointments rather than fitted in one, and each stage exists to get something right that cannot be corrected later.
1. Assessment
Examining the remaining teeth, gums and ridge, with X-rays, and discussing the alternatives honestly — including whether any teeth planned for extraction could be saved.
2. Impressions
to record the shape of the mouth accurately.
3. Recording the bite
, so the upper and lower meet correctly and your face is supported the way it should be.
4. A try-in
with the teeth set in wax, so you can see and approve the appearance and we can check the bite before it is finished. This is the appointment to speak up at — changes are straightforward now and difficult afterwards.
5. Fitting
the finished denture and adjusting it.
6. Review appointments
Sore spots in the first weeks are expected and are corrected by small adjustments. Do not struggle on with a denture that is rubbing, and do not adjust it yourself.
Getting Used to Them
Adapting takes time, and it is genuinely harder than most people expect — particularly with a first complete denture. It is normal for a new denture to feel bulky, to make you produce more saliva, and to alter your speech at first. Reading aloud for a few days is the standard advice for the speech, and it works.
Eating is best relearned rather than attempted at full speed. Start with soft food cut small, chew on both sides at once to keep the denture stable rather than tipping it, and add harder textures gradually. Biting into things with the front teeth is the movement that dislodges a denture most easily.
Expect sore spots early on, and expect to need adjustments. That is a normal part of the process rather than a sign something is wrong. What is not normal is persistent pain, an ulcer that does not settle, or a denture that has never felt right — tell us rather than living with it or resorting to adhesive to mask a fit problem.
Looking After Them
Clean them over a basin of water or a folded towel. Dropping a denture onto a hard basin is the most common way they break.
Brush them daily with a denture brush and soap or a denture cleaner — not ordinary toothpaste, which is abrasive and scratches the surface.
Do not use hot water. It can distort the fit permanently.
Leave them out at night unless you have been advised otherwise, so the tissues get a rest, and store them in water or a cleaning solution so they do not dry out.
Clean your gums, tongue and any remaining teeth, morning and night. Remaining teeth carry extra load under a partial denture and are at higher risk of decay and gum problems.
Keep attending check-ups even if you have no natural teeth left. The fit is reviewed, the ridge is checked as it changes, and the soft tissues are examined — which includes screening for mouth cancer.
Limitations Worth Knowing
Bite force is substantially lower
than with natural teeth, so some foods stay difficult.
They will loosen over time
as the bone beneath shrinks, and will need relining or remaking. This is expected maintenance, not failure.
Lower complete dentures are the hardest to stabilise
, because there is little ridge to grip. If this is your situation, ask about implant retention before assuming you must simply cope.
An upper complete denture covers the palate
, which can dull the sensation of temperature and some taste.
Partial dentures can accelerate problems on the supporting teeth
if cleaning slips, because they hold plaque against them.
Adhesive is a supplement, not a fix
Needing more and more of it is a sign the denture needs relining or remaking rather than more paste.
What Determines the Cost
The main factors are whether the denture is complete or partial, how many teeth it replaces, whether it is made in acrylic or on a metal framework, and whether any extractions or other treatment are needed first. Implant retention is a separate consideration with its own costs.
You get a written estimate after assessment and before work starts, and where an immediate denture is planned we will tell you at the outset that a reline or remake is likely once healing is complete, so it is not a surprise later. Payment is by cash or UPI.
Who Will Treat You
Your assessment and treatment are carried out by our dental team at the Irumbuliyur clinic, and you can meet the dentists here. Where implant retention would solve a stability problem better than another remake, we will raise it, and arrange specialist referral where that is the right step.
Dentures Questions, Answered
Related Treatments and Conditions
Dental Implants
Fixed replacement, or implants to stabilise a removable denture.
Dental Bridges
The fixed option for a smaller gap.
Gum Disease Treatment
The most common reason teeth are lost in the first place.
Restorative Dentistry
The full range of options for replacing missing teeth.
Loose Teeth
What to do before a tooth reaches the point of being lost.
Check-ups
Still needed with dentures — the fit and the soft tissues are reviewed.
Tooth Extraction
Where a tooth cannot be saved and needs removing first.
Patients come to us for dentures from Tambaram, Perungalathur, Selaiyur, Mudichur and Peerkankaranai — see all the areas we serve.
Written by Dental Leaf Clinical Team. Last updated 2026-08-18. This page is general information about a treatment and is not a diagnosis — what is right for you depends on a clinical assessment.
Considering Dentures, or Struggling With the Ones You Have?
Book an assessment and we will look at the fit, go through the alternatives including implant retention, and give you a written estimate before anything is started.
