DENTURES

I. READING

Dentures, or false teeth, are fixed or removable replacements for teeth. Tooth replacement becomes
necessary when the tooth and its roots have been irreparably damaged, and the tooth has been lost or must be
removed. n the past dentures usually fit poorly. They were bulky and often painful. Todays technology has brought
remarkable improvement. Innovations in dentistry combined with modern light-weight materials mean current
dentures are not only comfortable they closely resemble natural teeth.

History

Historically, a variety of materials have been used to replace lost teeth. Animal teeth and pieces of bone were
among the earliest of these primitive replacement materials. Two such rudimentary false teeth (probably molars)
were found wrapped in gold wire in the ancient Egyptian tomb of El Gigel. In the last few hundred years, artificial
teeth have been fashioned from natural substances such as ivory, porcelain, and even platinum. These
comparatively crude prototypes of earlier times were carved or forged by hand in an attempt to mimic the
appearance and function of natural teeth. Such early denture workmanship is exemplified by George
Washington's famous wooden teeth. Modern technology has offered considerable advances in the materials used
to make artificial teeth and improved techniques for affixing them in the mouth. Synthetic plastic resins and
lightweight metal alloys have made teeth more durable and natural looking. Better design has resulted in dentures
that provide more comfortable and efficient chewing. In the 1980s technology was developed to create the next
generation of dentures, which are permanently anchored to the bones in the jaw. These new dentures, known as
dental implants, are prepared by specialized dentists called denturists.

Main types of dentures

Complete or full dentures are for those patients who have lost all of their teeth on either or both of the
arches. These take some time to get used to as their adjustment depends on a number of factors like the
oral cavity muscles, saliva, bone & tongue.

Removable or partial dentures are used to correct gaps when only few of the teeth are missing. These
dentures are fastened to the natural teeth using metal attachments. Partial dentures help in maintaining
tooth alignment by preventing the other natural teeth from shifting out of position.. There are different kinds
of removable dentures - Acrylic, cast metal and valplast to name a few.

Immediate dentures as the name suggests are placed at once, right after the patient gets his tooth
extraction done. Adjustments are done once the healing process has completed.

Oral care for dentures

 Don't let dentures dry out place them in a denture cleanser soaking solution or in plain water when you're
not wearing them. Never use hot water, which can cause dentures to warp.

Brush your dentures brushing dentures daily will remove food and dental plaque, and help prevent them
from becoming stained.

Take care of your mouth brush your gums, tongue and palate every morning with a soft-bristled brush
before you insert dentures. This stimulates circulation in your tissues and helps remove plaque.

Consult your dentist see your dentist if dentures break, chip, crack or become loose. Don't be tempted to
adjust them yourself this can damage them beyond repair.

With a wide range of dentures available, you need not suffer difficulty chewing or feel self-conscious about the
appearance of your mouth. A dentist can advise you on the best restoration to meet your needs. With careful
cleaning and maintenance, your dentures will last for many years.
Answer the following questions:
a. Using your own words, how would you define dentures?
b. What do you know about George Washingtons famous wooden teeth?
c. What are the main types of dentures?
d. What were the materials which were used in the past to make dentures and what are the ones used now?
e. Is there any special care needed for dentures?
f. Which do you think are better: dentures or implants?

II. TRANSLATE INTO ENGLISH

n ct timp m voi obinui cu proteza?

Protezele noi dau o senzaie de disconfort n primele sptmni sau chiar luni. Va trebui s v obinuii s
mestecai i s vorbii cu proteza. Vei avea o senzaie incomod c proteza st s cad, pn cnd muchii
obrajilor i limba se vor obinui s susin proteza. Frecvent are loc creterea fluxului salivar, senzaia c limba
nu are loc de protez i uoare iritaii sau ulceraii. n caz de iritaie, mergei la medicul dentist.

Ct timp rezist protezele?

Dup o perioad de timp, proteza va trebui cptuit, refcut sau rebazat, datorit uzurii normale. Rebazarea
nseamn construcia unei noi baze, cu pstrarea dinilor existeni. n mod normal, cu vrsta, intervin schimbri
la nivelul cavitii bucale. Acestea pot duce la slbirea protezei, probleme de masticaie i iritarea gingiilor. Este
bine s mergei la control cel puin o dat pe an.

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III. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE MISSING WORDS: Nine things that you should be aware of
before having dentures:

1. Because you have a hard piece of p (the denture) pressed against your delicate g.. tissue,
you might feel p.

2. Dentures get l.. as the bone and gum underneath s.. and realigns.

3. Upper and lower dentures often make a clacking n.., which can be embarrassing to some people.

4. Food does not taste as good since your palate is covered by the u denture.

5. Sore spots develop at different places as you adjust to w.. the dentures.

6. They can look very a..

7. They must be taken out for c.., and in some cases, possibly left out overnight to give the soft
tissues of your palate rest from the t.. of a rubbing denture.

8. When your d.. are out, your face looks older as the point from your nose to your chin
decreases in height.

9. A lower denture is very difficult to keep s. since there are no natural undercuts to the lower j..

IV. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH WORDS FROM THE LIST: THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS

DENTURIST, IMPRESSION, WAX, GYPSUM, VISE, RESIN, CORRECTLY, ACRYLIC, MOLD, BUBBLES,
CHEMICAL , DISCREPANCY , PROCESS, INSPECTED, DENTURE

1. The manufacturing 1.begins with a preliminary impression of the patient's mouth, which is
usually done in 2... This 3 ... is used to prepare a diagnostic cast. While making the
 impression, the dentist applies pressure to the soft tissues to simulate biting force and extends the borders of
the mold to adjacent toothless areas to allow the dentures to better adapt to the gums.

2. Once an appropriate preliminary cast has been obtained, the final cast is cast from 4, a stone-
like product. The final mold is 5 and approved before using it to manufacture the teeth.

3. After the mold has been cast, it is filled with acrylic 6 to form the denture. The mold is prepared
with a release agent prior to adding the resin to ensure that the hardened acrylic can be easily removed once
the process is completed. A sheet of separating film between the acrylic and the model is also helpful in this
regard. The 7. then mixes the appropriate resin compounds in liquid form. Upon drying, the
resin hardens to a durable finish.

4. This resin mixture is packed into the 8 ., while a vertical 9 packs it tightly. At this
point the model can be inspected to ensure it is filled properly, and if necessary additional resin can be added.
Instead of vice packing, certain types of 10 may be poured into the mold. This method is more
prone to air 11 than hand packing.

5. Once the mold is packed to the denturist's satisfaction, it is heated to initiate the 12 . reaction
which causes the resin to harden. This part of the process may take up to eight hours.

6. After the heating is done and the mold has cooled, the mold is broken apart so the 13 may
be removed.

7. The denture is then put in the model of the patient's mouth to ensure that it fits and that the bite is good.
Because of the number of processing steps there may be a slight 14in the fit. Usually
just a minor grinding and smoothing of surfaces is all that is necessary to make the denture fit
15..

V. LISTENING Listen to Dr. Vitale J. talking about dentures and fill in the gaps:
a. Dentures are.placed over ridges in peoples mouths.
b. They work although they have their
c. People choose to have dentures forreasons: less..than
implant dentures and the fear of the
d. Dental adhesive is necessary for people with.yet many times
theydental adhesive but there isnt any
e. particular.to be chosen.
f. Patients generally lie Poligrip adhesive because..
g. The first think that happens to patients with dentures is that they.heavily.
h. Only after..do people feel comfortable wearing dentures.
i. Dentures might be affected by .loss.
j. They generally last from.years.

VI. WRITE TWO PARAGRAPHS ABOUT THE PROS AND CONS OF HAVING DENTURES