Partial dentures are made to be removable and replace multiple missing teeth. A partial denture is constructed by a molded plate, usually made of pink acrylic to mimic your gums, affixed with replacement teeth. Depending on your needs, your dentist will choose to design a partial denture made from a metal framework of clasps or precision attachments connecting the plate to your natural teeth.
Partial dentures are an appropriate solution when the other teeth in your mouth are healthy. It is always preferable to keep your natural teeth, however, if this is not an option, a full denture may be the right solution for you. DDS Dentures + Implant Solutions also offers the All-In-One dental implant solution – a more permanent, implant-based solution that “fixes” your dentures in place. Learn more about the All-In-One Solution.
Resin-bonded bridge. Also called Maryland Bridge, this is sometimes considered for replacing front teeth that don't endure the biting and chewing demands of back teeth. It has wings on each side to attach to healthy, adjacent teeth but usually doesn't involve preparing, or grinding down, other teeth. A resin-bonded bridge looks and functions better than a removable denture but isn't as strong as fixed bridgework and typically doesn’t function or last nearly as long as dental implants.
Problems with dentures may arise because patients are not used to having something in their mouth that is not food. The brain senses the appliance and interprets it as 'food', sending messages to the salivary glands to produce more saliva and to secrete it at a higher rate. This usually only happens in the first 12 to 24 hours, after which the salivary glands return to their normal output. New dentures can also be the cause of sore spots as they compress the denture-bearing soft tissues (mucosa). A few denture adjustments in the days following insertion of the dentures can take care of this problem. Gagging is another problem encountered by a minority of patients. At times, this may be due to a denture that is too loose, too thick or extended too far posteriorly onto the soft palate. At times, gagging may also be attributed to psychological denial of the denture. Psychological gagging is the most difficult to treat since it is out of the dentist's control. In such cases, an implant-supported palateless denture may have to be constructed. Sometimes there could be a gingivitis infection under the completed dentures, caused by the accumulation of dental plaque. One of the most common problems for wearers of new upper complete denture is a loss of taste sensations.
An overdenture is a removable dental prosthesis that covers and rests on one or more remaining tooth roots. A removable partial denture is a dental prosthesis that replaces some teeth and is built around existing natural teeth. Both the overdenture and the removable partial denture may be connected to the remaining tooth roots or remaining natural teeth with anchors made of metal or plastic. These connections improve stability and the retention of both prostheses.
