Should You Get A Partial Denture For That Missing Tooth?
Posted on: 28 September 2016
Losing even one of your teeth can cause problems when it comes to speaking and chewing, and it can cause other teeth to potentially shift around in your mouth. It is important that you find a way to correct this missing tooth, for both health and cosmetic reasons. A partial denture is an affordable option that is completely removable. Here is what you need to know about each form of partial dentures to fix a missing tooth.
Immediate Dentures
A temporary denture, also called an immediate denture, is a denture designed to not be used for very long. It's typically for people that have an extracted tooth and are waiting to have another dental procedure performed to fix it. Until then, the immediate denture is used as a way to hide that gap in your smile.
Immediate dentures have a pink base made with acrylic film, which is designed to look like healthy tissue in your mouth. Hooks are used to slide around your natural teeth on either side of the tooth that hold everything in place temporarily.
This type of denture will be cheap to create, and it can potentially be used for a few months or years before you are ready for a more permanent solution. If you cannot afford a more permanent solution right now, an immediate denture can help you save up the money to pay for it down the road.
Unfortunately, many people find that an immediate denture is not comfortable. The base is rigid, and it may not fit properly over your jawbone. Your tongue can even get under the plate, which is why this form of denture is sometimes called a flipper.
Flexible Denture
Dentures that are designed for long-term wear are called a flexible denture. It uses a base made with flexible nylon-type material. It will fit snugly, but not be too rigid on the jawbone and gums. Instead of having clasps, a flexible denture will have a base that extends over the surrounding healthy teeth and goes over the gums. The material feels comfortable and will be less erosive to your healthy teeth.
A flexible denture takes time to create and will be more expensive. You must decide if the appearance and comfort is worth the additional cost.
For more info about either of these types of dentures, speak to a local dentist, such as Brookside Dental Associate. They may recommend one over the other depending on which tooth you need the partial denture for.
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