Artificial teeth and the denture base are the two major components of complete dentures. An artificial tooth is used to help people pronounce words more clearly and to restore the native tooth’s look, occlusion, and oral function. The dental basis, which serves as the artificial tooth’s base, can be utilised to repair damaged soft tissue as well as damaged bone. Biting pressure is transferred from the artificial tooth to the oral mucosa and bone structures via the denture base. Complete dentures may perform all of these roles because tooth support cannot be achieved, and their denture base covers a broader region of oral mucosa than RPDs can. In contrast to RPDs, complete dentures don’t use connectors since there isn’t enough room to attach a major connector to the appliance, and minor connectors can’t be used because there isn’t a healthy abutment.
Sub-pressure and adhesion to the underlying tissue both contribute to the retention of a complete denture. If the denture base and oral mucosa are bonded closely together and a good peripheral seal is used, there will be sub-pressure between them. The close connection between the denture’s marginal surface and the oral mucosa is known as a peripheral seal. During speech, the postdam region, or posterior edge of the upper denture, is crucial. The dental base is strongly pressed against the mouth mucosa by the external air pressure. A thin, sticky film of saliva between the tooth base and oral mucosa is primarily responsible for good adsorption and plays a significant role in retention. To ensure retention of the full dentures, a big dental base area is crucial. Of course, it shouldn’t interfere with regular mouth physiology or diminish comfort.
The impact of oral hard and soft tissues on essential retention should be carefully taken into account when the prosthetic plan is created. The denture cannot be stable if there is significant tuberosity, pointed bone apexes, or hyperplastic oral mucosa. Prior to prosthetic treatment, it may be necessary to perform a particular oral procedure to address these issues because complete dentures’ retention would otherwise be drastically reduced. Retention is significantly reduced if the oral mucosa has lost its initial flexibility and thickness, or if the jaw bone, particularly the remaining alveolar ridge, has been severely absorbed and has become narrow and flat. Additional linkages, like as implants, might be required in certain circumstances.
It’s important for entire dentures to be stable and durable. Composite resins are utilised to create the majority of complete dentures. These materials’ low cost, ease of fabrication, and ease of repair are their obvious benefits. The durability of complete dentures constructed of resin, however, is always impacted by their low strength and poor ageing qualities. Metal materials, particularly pure titanium or titanium alloy denture bases, offer substitutes with superior characteristics. Titanium-based denture bases are less common than traditional composites. The expensive cost, the intricate installation process, and the challenges with repair are the main causes of this. A decent compromise is a dental base constructed of composite resin that has prefabricated metal meshes or metal wires implanted inside it for support.
