Replacing Teeth
Partial Dentures
Partial Dentures
A Conventional Partial Denture is a removable appliance that can replace anywhere from one tooth to many teeth. Wire clasps anchor the denture to remaining natural teeth.
Restrictions of Conventional Partial Dentures
- Esthetics - it is not always possible to hide the metal clasps required to hold the denture in place
- Support - a partial denture is only as strong as the teeth it clasps to, thus just because a patient has remaining teeth, the teeth may not be strong enough to support the forces placed on them by a partial denture
- Stability - depending on what (or how many) teeth are being replaced by the denture, a partial may rock up and down while chewing and/or speaking
Advantages of Conventional Partial Dentures
- Cost - conventional partial dentures are the least expensive way to replace missing teeth
- Flexibility - occasionally, partial dentures can have teeth and clasps added to them if other teeth require extraction in the future
Alternatives to Conventional Partial Dentures
There many different technologies that allow for fabrication of a partial denture that does not require metal clasps and have adjustable retention. These are more esthetically pleasing, more stable, and the retention is customizable to each particular patient. For more information, reference our "Snap-In" Partial Dentures page or call our office.
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