When you think of dentures, if you’re like most people, you imagine the artificial teeth themselves. However, there’s a lot more that goes into making a quality set of dentures than just the teeth the outside world sees. For example, there are often the clasps that wrap around permanent teeth and keep the dentures in place. Often times, there is also a palate of material that spans one side of the denture to the other. Many patients will elect to keep this area clear, as opposed to letting the material’s color show through or having it dyed a certain shade.
The main benefit to having a clear palate is that your own natural tissue color shows through. Your dentures’ palate is already going to be difficult to see, of course, but having a clear version virtually guarantees no one will notice you’re wearing them even if they have an advantageous angle.
A clear palate can be installed on a number of different types of dentures. So if you’re missing all your teeth (or the majority and your dentist recommends extracting the others), you can easily have a complete set with a clear palate in the center. However, if you only need partial dentures, you can still get a clear palate if one is even necessary in the first place.
If you are currently wearing dentures that included a colored palate and would like to switch to a clear version, this shouldn’t be an issue. The good news is that you won’t notice any difference when wearing them. For the most part, clear palates are made from an acrylic that is nearly identical to the type of plastic they use make the traditional types of dentures. Of course, if you have any issues with it once you’re wearing them you can always speak to your dentist.
As with most types of dentures, it will take at least a couple appointments before the finished product will be ready. The first one will be a consultation where, if you decide to continue, the dentist will take a mold of your teeth. During the next visit, your dentist will probably request to take a second mold, as they are studying your bite and zeroing in on the precise design.
Those who already have dentures will usually only need one visit. Simply call your dentist to let them know you wish to switch to a clear palate and they should be ready to accommodate you with just a single appointment.
