Selecting Your Teeth

As a denture wearer you want your dentures to look natural and pleasing – and so you should! With today’s denture technology and techniques, it’s possible to duplicate natural teeth and create dentures that exceed your expectations.

Modern dentures are not the stereotypical dentures of yesteryear. The teeth now placed in dentures offer characteristics that are found in natural teeth. Your uniqueness will always be the determining factor in tooth selection. Just as no two people look alike, no two dentures will be the same.

Your facial features, hair and eye colors, age, and personal preferences will all be considered when selecting your teeth. The size, shape, and shade of your teeth, as well as the eventual placement of them in your denture, also play a vital part in the overall appearance of your dentures. You and your denturist should be willing to take the time to make the appropriate choice.

Artificial teeth can vary greatly. They are produced by a number of specialized companies and come in a variety of moulds. Some have combinations of tiny fissures, subtle blemishes, small ridges or translucencies incorporated into them. This provides you with an excellent selection.

The tooth selection process:

The process begins with your six, upper front teeth because these are the most noticeable teeth. Here, the denturist considers:

• size of tooth – very small to very large, short to long, narrow to wide
  
  
• tooth shape – square, square tapering, square ovoid, tapering, tapering ovoid, ovoid or square tapering ovoid. Occasionally, a tooth must be shaped by the denturist to better suit your personality and “look”.
  
  
• tooth shade – available in very white to a mid-range shade. People are selecting shades one or two shades lighter than a few years ago, due to the current emphasis on whiter teeth and a more youthful look. The denturist will suggest a shade for you and the reasons for it; however, the final choice is always yours.

Your dentures’ back (posterior) teeth are next in the process. The denturist will make this selection as he/she must consider the amount of ridge you have remaining, the health of your tissues, your jaw size, and the relationship of your upper to lower jaw. The back teeth come in varying cusp heights, are made to mesh with their equivalent opposing teeth, and are set up so that you can perform various jaw movements wearing them. The denturist will also take into account the length and width of the teeth and will choose a color to match the front teeth.

NOTE:

Artificial teeth are manufactured in either porcelain or hardened plastic. Each has advantages and disadvantages. More teeth are now selected for patients’ comfort and for the preservation of their ridges, thus the material of choice is usually hardened plastic. Tip: Provide a photo showing your previous natural teeth if possible; it will help in the selection of your denture teeth.