Removable partial dentures

As one ages they may begin to lose some of their natural teeth. People in sports or those involved in accidents can also lose some of their teeth. Replacing missing teeth is important to help maintain your appearance and even your health. One way to replace large gaps of missing teeth is to go to the dentist and have them make removable partial dentures for you.

When your dentist suggests being fitted with removable partial dentures they mean a partial upper or lower plate of dentures that can be removed each night and morning for cleaning. Sometimes people do not need to wear a whole entire upper or lower plate of dentures because they may still have a few good teeth left that the partial dentures can be attached to. In other words, removable partial dentures are created to fit around existing teeth. If all of the original teeth have to be removed an entire set of upper or lower dentures will have to be worn so the person can continue eating normal food.

Removable partial dentures are usually made from high grade plastic, acrylic or porcelain. They have prosthetic teeth that look like real teeth attached to a gum-colored base. The base on removable partial dentures is usually made from a flexible nylon type, acrylic type or a hard plastic type material, depending on the kind that you get. A cosmetic dentist or a prosthodontist is the kind of dentist that can fit you with these kinds dentures. They are usually made to attach to permanent teeth with metal clamps. They also have precision attachments that are invisible which makes them less noticeable for most people. The cost for precision attachments is more than the cost for metal clasps.

Removable partial dentures provide useful benefits to the wearer. Without them the person who loses most of their teeth can have trouble speaking clearly and trouble chewing food. Self confidence goes out the window when you have missing teeth as well. Removable partial dentures can help you maintain a natural smile and help you keep your self confidence. Partial dentures are not as stable as full dentures however. Partial dentures can also help keep the remaining natural teeth from shifting or drifting out of place which can damage the tissues in your mouth. A person can have as little as only two teeth left in the upper or lower mouth and still benefit from removable partial dentures.

When you are first fitted with removable partial dentures it will take some getting used to. Your dentist will give you instructions on how to put them in and take them out without breaking them. This may take some practice but after a short time you will find this easy to do. They may cause sore gums at first, but your dentist can make adjustments so that they fit more comfortably. When you first begin wearing removable partial dentures you may find it difficult to speak clearly but you will soon be able to talk normally when you get used to wearing them. The American Dental Association recommends certain denture cleansers so when buying the cleaner make sure you look for the ADA seal of approval. It is also recommended that people brush their partial dentures with a soft bristle brush rather than one with hard bristles.

Hard bristle tooth brushes can damage the dentures. Dentures should be removed and brushed with a denture cleaner every day. People do not usually wear removable partial dentures at night. However, dentures should always be kept moist. Most dentures come with a container for you to keep then in at night that allows them to soak in water. The price for partial dentures can vary. Normally they are more expensive if you get them made through a cosmetic dentist so going to a prosthodontist for them is advisable.

Last updated on Jan 10th, 2011 and filed under Dental Health. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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