If you've started researching tooth replacement, you've probably noticed that "dentures" isn't really one thing. It's a whole family of options, and the right one for you depends on details that are specific to your mouth: how many teeth are missing, where they're missing from, and how much stability you need day to day. Understanding the menu before you sit down for a consultation means you walk in ready to ask the right questions instead of nodding along to unfamiliar terms.
More than 1 in 7 adults aged 65 and older has lost all of their natural teeth, according to the CDC, and millions more are missing enough teeth to be weighing a partial or full replacement. That's a lot of people making this same decision, which is exactly why dentistry has developed so many variations on the theme. Below is a practical breakdown of what's actually out there, how the categories differ, and where newer technology fits into the picture.
What "Types of Dentures" Actually Means
Before getting into specific categories, it helps to know that dentures really only differ along two axes. The first is how much of the arch they're replacing — a full denture stands in for an entire row of upper or lower teeth, while a partial denture fills in gaps where some natural teeth remain. The second is how the denture stays in place — some rest on the gums and rely on suction, adhesive, or clasps, while others anchor to dental implants for a more secure hold.
Every type you'll read about below is really just a combination of those two variables. Once you know where you fall on each axis, the rest of the decision becomes a lot more concrete.
Full Dentures
A full, or complete, denture replaces an entire arch of teeth — top, bottom, or both — after all the natural teeth in that arch are gone. It's built from a gum-colored acrylic base shaped to fit snugly against your gum ridge, with the suction created by that close fit (sometimes helped along with an adhesive) holding it in position. It's removable, meaning you take it out at night and clean it separately from the way you'd brush natural teeth.
Full dentures have been the standard solution for decades because they work, they're familiar, and they're less costly upfront than implant-based alternatives. The tradeoff is that they rest on soft tissue rather than anchoring to anything solid, so they can shift slightly while chewing tougher foods or speaking, and most people go through an adjustment period learning to eat and talk comfortably with them. Because the jawbone naturally continues to change shape after teeth are lost, a full denture also typically needs periodic relines — adjustments to the fit — to keep working well over the years.
One variation worth knowing about is the immediate denture: a full denture that's placed the same day teeth are extracted, rather than waiting for the gums to heal first. It lets you avoid going without teeth during the healing period, but because the gum tissue is still changing shape as it heals, an immediate denture is usually considered a transitional device that gets replaced or significantly adjusted once the tissue has settled.
Partial Dentures
A partial denture is for a different situation entirely — you still have some healthy natural teeth, but you're missing others and need to fill the gaps. Rather than replacing a whole arch, a partial uses a gum-colored base connected to clasps or precision attachments that hook onto your remaining teeth for support.
This is one of the more common answers to what types of dentures are there for people who haven't lost all their teeth, and it's worth understanding because the benefit goes beyond just filling a visible gap. Remaining teeth naturally want to drift and tip into open spaces over time, which can throw off your bite and make remaining teeth harder to clean around. A well-fitted partial holds those teeth in place, and it does so at a lower cost and with less involved treatment than a fixed bridge or dental implant.
Within the partial category, you may also come across flexible or "flipper" partials — a lightweight, thermoplastic option that's sometimes used as a quick, temporary fix for a single missing tooth while a longer-term plan is worked out. They're comfortable and inexpensive, but generally not intended as a permanent solution the way a traditional cast-metal partial is.
Implant-Supported and Implant-Retained (Snap-In) Dentures
This is where the real decision-making tends to happen for a lot of patients, because it's the biggest fork in the road: do you want a denture that rests on your gums, or one that's anchored to implants placed in your jawbone? There are actually two distinct approaches here, and the terminology trips people up constantly.
An implant-retained, or "snap-in," denture is still removable — you take it out to clean it, just like a traditional denture — but instead of relying on suction or clasps, it snaps onto a small number of implants for a dramatically more secure hold. An implant-supported denture goes a step further and is fixed permanently in place, attached to implants and not designed to come out at all except by a dentist.
Both approaches share the same underlying advantage: implants replace the root structure that natural teeth used to provide. Once a tooth is lost, the jawbone in that area starts to resorb because it no longer receives the stimulation chewing provides — this is part of why a denture that fit well a few years ago can feel loose today. Implants placed in the bone continue to stimulate it much the way natural tooth roots did, slowing that bone loss substantially, and they also essentially eliminate the shifting and slipping that comes with a denture resting on gum tissue alone. Long-term studies on implant-supported overdentures have recorded survival rates in the range of 95% after many years in function, which is a strong track record for a restoration people rely on every day.
This is also where the practice's own approach comes in directly: Dr. Schwartz's dentures and partials page states that implant-supported dentures are recommended whenever appropriate, specifically because of the added stability and the bone-health benefit over standard removable dentures. It's a reasonable default position — not every patient is a candidate for implants due to bone density or other health factors, but when the option is on the table, it tends to outperform the alternatives on both comfort and long-term outcomes. Anyone weighing this decision can also look at the practice's dental implants page for more detail on what the implant placement process itself involves.
Digital (CAD/CAM) Dentures — A Newer Option Worth Asking About
Here's a category that neither a quick web search nor most patients' mental picture of "getting dentures" accounts for, even though it's become increasingly common in modern dental offices: digital, or CAD/CAM, dentures.
The traditional process for building a denture involves multiple rounds of physical impressions, wax try-ins, and adjustments — it's accurate, but it takes time and several office visits to get right. A digital denture skips most of that. Instead of a physical impression, the dentist takes a digital scan of your gums and bite, and the denture is designed using computer-aided software rather than shaped by hand from wax models. The software analyzes the contours of your gum surface directly, which tends to produce a more precise fit with fewer adjustment visits.
Dr. Schwartz's office uses this approach through Pala® Digital Dentures, and the specifics are worth knowing because they illustrate just how much faster this process can be: a full-arch replacement typically takes about three visits total, with the finished denture placed roughly two weeks after the first digital impression is taken. One advantage that's easy to overlook until you actually need it: because your denture design exists as a digital file rather than a physical mold sitting in a drawer somewhere, an accurate spare can be milled without you coming back in for new impressions — meaning a lost or broken denture doesn't have to mean going without teeth while a replacement is made. Pala Digital Dentures also come with a 12-year warranty against chipping or breakage, which is a meaningfully longer guarantee than most patients expect from a removable prosthetic. If any of that sounds relevant to your situation, it's worth asking about directly on the practice's dentures and partials page.
Other Denture Options You May Hear About
Beyond the core categories, you'll sometimes hear dentures described by their price tier rather than their type, and it's worth knowing what that distinction actually means. Economy, or entry-level, dentures are prefabricated in standard sizes and shapes, then fitted to your mouth with limited customization. They cost less and can be a reasonable stopgap, but the fit and appearance are noticeably less precise because they aren't built from your individual anatomy.
Custom or premium dentures sit at the other end of that spectrum. They're built from your own impressions or digital scans, with tooth shape, shade, and gum contouring chosen to match your face and existing bite. The result generally looks more natural and fits more comfortably, which matters both for day-to-day function and for how confident you feel wearing them. As mentioned earlier, flexible flipper partials also fall into this "good to know about" category — useful for short-term or single-tooth situations, but not typically the long-term answer for multiple missing teeth.
How Long Should a Denture Actually Last?
This is the question almost nobody answers clearly, and it matters more than most of the marketing language around dentures suggests. A conventional full or partial denture generally lasts somewhere in the range of five to ten years before it needs to be replaced outright, though it will likely need relines well before that as your gum ridge and jawbone continue to change shape. Implant-supported and implant-retained dentures tend to hold their fit longer, precisely because the implants anchoring them aren't subject to the same ongoing bone resorption that affects a denture resting on gum tissue alone.
The practical signal to watch for isn't a calendar date — it's function. If a denture that used to feel snug is starting to rock, click, or require more adhesive than it used to, that's usually the jawbone changing shape underneath it, and it's worth bringing up at your next visit rather than waiting for a full breakdown.
How to Choose — and What to Ask Your Dentist
There's no single "best" type of denture, because the right choice depends on how many teeth you're replacing, the condition of your jawbone, your budget, and how much stability matters to your daily life. A useful starting point for that conversation is simply telling your dentist how your current situation affects you day to day — whether it's difficulty chewing certain foods, self-consciousness about slipping, or wanting to avoid the maintenance routine of a removable appliance.
From there, a good exam will tell you which categories are realistic. Bone density affects implant candidacy. The number and location of remaining natural teeth determines whether you're looking at a partial or a full denture. And your priorities — cost versus stability, fewer office visits versus lowest upfront price — help narrow the remaining choices. If you're dealing with missing teeth and aren't sure yet which direction fits your situation, reviewing the treatment options for missing teeth is a reasonable next step before your consultation, so you arrive with a clearer sense of what to ask.