In order to restore decreased, diminished, or lost function and cosmetic appearance, comfort, and health, the missing parts of teeth or one or more missing teeth and related tissues are replaced with proper materials.

Dental prostheses are classified into removable and permanent dentures.

Permanent Dentures are placed over natural teeth, dental roots, or dental implants by a dentist and cannot be removed by the patient. When substance loss is too severe to allow fillings or other similar treatments, permanent dentures (or dental bridges) are a possible alternative to replace one or more teeth. Bridge dentures are joined to adjacent teeth for support.

Since these dentures are bonded to the teeth with adhesives, they cannot be removed by the patient. Over time, adhesives can dissolve due to saliva or eating and drinking. It is recommended to have dental bridges replaced every few years to improve longevity.

These are appliances that can be inserted or removed by the patient to replace missing teeth. It may take some time to adjust to new removable dentures. This also includes the adjustment of oral tissues, including cheeks, lips, and tongue muscles.

During this time, the patient will have to take small bites and chew using both sides. These dentures cannot stay in the mouth indefinitely. They need to be removed, cleaned, and wrapped with paper towels, or submerged in a cleaning solution. This will give oral soft tissues time to heal and prevents fungal and bacterial infections.

If the patient has no teeth left that can support dentures, surrounding tissues are used as a basis of support and force exertion. A complete denture is an exclusively tissue-supported prosthesis. These dentures are also known as plates.