Learn More About Partial Dentures

Are those few missing teeth nagging at you every time you look in the mirror? Maybe you can hardly see them when you smile, or maybe to you they seem glaring. Regardless of whether or not they are noticeable, there are reasons to fill in those spaces. If you are not yet ready or interested in implant treatment, there are other ways such as partial dentures. You can learn more about partial dentures with the questions and answers below.                                     

Questions and Answers

Question: Are partial dentures considered “partial” if you only need them for the upper or lower arch?

Answer: No. Full dentures replace a full arch of upper or lower missing teeth or both. Partial dentures are designed to replace one or more teeth in a row. However, they do not need to be in a row as long as they are in the same dental arch.

Question: If your teeth do not need to be adjacent to one another then how do partial dentures work?

Answer: Partial dentures are constructed with a metal framework that holds the dentures in place. This frame work along with the false pontics can be configured to place the false teeth according to where the missing teeth are located.

Question: Are partial dentures held in place the same way full dentures are?

Answer: Both partial and full dentures are held in place via suction and denture adhesives. The difference being that partial dentures also have metal attachments at the ends of the metal framework. These attachments slip over healthy teeth and help hold the partials in place.

Question: Are full dentures and partial dentures made the same way?

Answer: Full dentures do not include a metal framework. However both types of dentures consist of a gum-color acrylic base to which the false teeth are attached.