Partial Dentures

Partial dentures are used to fill in the gaps left by missing teeth. They can be made entirely from plastic, or from a mixture of both plastic and a light alloy metal. There are now also flexible acrylics that are used in some cases. Partial dentures are attached to your remaining natural teeth with metal or acrylic clasps. In some cases you do not even need to have clasps if the retention from your remaining natural teeth is good enough.

It is very important to wear partial dentures as the health of your remaining teeth may suffer if some of your teeth are missing. They can change position and drift into the gaps, which may damage the tissues in your mouth. Also it is difficult to clean in between the gaps of crooked teeth, which increases the risk of developing tooth decay and gum disease and may lead to additional tooth loss. Partial dentures prevent your natural teeth from shifting, improving the overall health of your mouth.