Partial Dentures

Partial dentures are appliances designed to replace a few consecutive missing teeth. They help make it easier to speak better, chew food, and support cheeks and lips to avoid facial sagging. If you have worn-out, damaged, or missing teeth from an injury or wear over time, partial dentures may be an excellent alternative. They also help preserve your existing natural teeth and prevent structural damage. At Summit Dental in Huntsville, Alabama 35806, we provide partial denture solutions to help you regain your oral functions and maintain the smile aesthetics.

A partial denture is a removable, natural-looking appliance that replaces one or multiple missing or damaged teeth on the top or lower arch of the mouth. They consist of artificial teeth mounted on a pink-colored base made of acrylic plastic. Partial dentures are preferred since they are low maintenance and can be easily removed from the mouth. Besides correcting a smile, partials also prevent the movement of the adjoining healthy teeth.

 If you lose teeth due to injury, gum disease, or any other reason, the mouth's structure gets disturbed. Without dentures, the neighboring teeth may begin to shift and occupy the gap in your bite. When missing one or more teeth, your facial appearance can change along with your overall oral health. Hence inserting partial dentures in the mouth can help stabilize the other teeth and prevent unnecessary movement.

As a preliminary step, your natural teeth will be restored to a healthy state before going ahead with the partial denture process. The partial dentures cannot be fastened to teeth at risk of being lost due to decay or infections. Hence, it is ensured that the remaining teeth that are supposed to act as anchor teeth for the partial denture are in top condition. Our dentist, Dr. Courtney Murray, may recommend that the same be removed in case of any decayed teeth. 

After ensuring the healthy condition of your anchoring teeth, impressions of your mouth are taken to fabricate the partial denture appliance. The dental lab then manufactures the personalized dentures, and the shade of the artificial teeth is color-matched with that of your existing smile. 

Once the dentures are made, you can try them out and tell us if any details need to be adjusted. You may take a few weeks to get adjusted to the wearing of the partial dentures. All this while, you will be instructed on caring for the partial denture at home. The dentures can be removed before going to sleep and kept in a cleansing gel.