When it comes to replacing missing teeth, the gold standard solution is dental implants. Dental implants provide the most natural and permanent solution for tooth loss that restores all dental function and promotes the health and strength of your jaw. Dental implants are also the most expensive option for permanently replacing missing teeth, though. While the value of dental implants is clear, they’re not accessible to every person at every time due to those cost considerations. If you’re not yet in a position to make a significant — but entirely worthwhile — investment in dental implants, what are your best alternatives?
Effective alternatives to dental implants for replacing teeth include getting fixed dental bridges and partial removable dentures in NW Calgary. There’s no doubt that the popularity of bridges and dentures has waned somewhat with the advent and increasing popularity of dental implants, they are still effective and accessible alternatives. When price is a significant issue, removable partial dentures are less expensive than fixed dental bridges.
What is a removable partial denture?
Like full dentures, removable partial dentures replace multiple missing teeth in a single arch (upper or lower jaw). The missing teeth replaced with a partial denture do not need to be neighbouring teeth. Removable dentures consist of a thin but strong supporting structure usually made of a lightweight alloy called vitallium that is then covered by resin or plastic coloured and shaped to resemble and blend with your natural gums and remaining teeth.
Removable dentures are custom-made to fit your mouth precisely and to support artificial teeth in the gaps in your smile exactly and imperceptibly. Partial dentures are held in place with clasps that connect to adjacent natural teeth in your jaw. Your denturist — a specialist who provides denture-related services — and the staff at a dental clinic near you will craft dentures near you to fit so precisely that they will not wobble or slip within your mouth as you eat, smile, laugh and talk. The precise shape of partial dentures will vary widely from person to person depending on the location of their missing teeth and the shape of their mouth and jaw.
What are the pros and cons of partial dentures?
There are three primary advantages of getting partial dentures near you.
- Removable partial dentures fit comfortably
- Partial dentures restore most of the dental function lost when you’re forced to live with missing teeth
- Missing teeth detract from the beauty of your smile. Well-maintained partial dentures fill the gaps left by missing teeth and give you reasons to smile broadly and confidently again.
As mentioned above, partial removable dentures are not the best and preferred solution for tooth loss. That title is held by dental implants. The disadvantages of removable partial dentures include:
- The clasps that hold partial dentures in place can make it more difficult to keep neighbouring teeth clean and free of plaque and tartar
- If your removable dentures do not fit properly or begin to loosen or wobble due to damage or any other reason, that poor fit can cause damage to your neighbouring teeth
To minimize those disadvantages of partial dentures, it is essential that wearers: commit to excellent daily dental hygiene habits relating to their natural teeth (especially, but not limited to, the teeth to which the partial dentures attach); clean their partial dentures thoroughly as directed by your denturist and dentist; and attend their dentist regularly so that the dentist can monitor the proper fit of the dentures on an ongoing basis.
If you’re ready to replace your missing teeth but not yet ready for financial reasons to invest in dental implants, ask the staff at a dental clinic in NW Calgary if removable partial dentures may be appropriate to meet your needs.