Partial Dentures: Treatment, Cost and Side Effects

Partial denture refers to a natural-looking, removable dental appliance which helps reinstate the function and form of the jaws by substituting one or more missing teeth. These are created from a mixture of acrylic and metal which strengthens your teeth and helps you speak and chew without much difficulty. When you have one or more teeth missing, the other teeth will try to fill the gap in your mouth, resulting in the shrinkage of both the supporting bone adjacent to your missing tooth and the soft tissues. This will affect your bite and may cause you serious trouble in terms of physical appearance following other dental problems. Hence a partial denture is a safe and preferred treatment to compensate the gap between your missing teeth.

A partial denture has a clasp and a metal framework which is connected to your teeth. In certain cases, a removable partial denture is attached to the natural teeth with the help of precision attachments. The dentist may even suggest crowns on your natural teeth. Crowns help improve the fit of a partial denture in your mouth.

Depending on the condition of your teeth, the dentist will perform a partial denture to bridge the gap between your missing teeth. First, he will make a string of impressions of the jaw and take measurements of how your upper and lower jaws relate to each other and how much space is left between the two. Next, he will design models, wax forms and/or plastic patterns in the position and exact shape of the dentures which are to be created. Partial Denture procedure will rest on the metal framework. This framework happens to be joined to the natural teeth. When crowns are inserted on top of the natural teeth they help to serve the purpose of anchors.

A partial denture has a clasp and a metal framework which is connected to your teeth. In certain cases, a removable partial denture is attached to the natural teeth with the help of precision attachments. The dentist may even suggest crowns on your natural teeth. Crowns help improve the fit of a partial denture in your mouth. The dentures will be evaluated for fit, shape and color before the ultimate denture is cast. Adjustments will be made after the final denture is cast. However, partial dentures can only be performed when you have a few natural teeth remaining in either of your jaws.

If you have one or more teeth missing in your upper or lower jaw, and loose gums you may be eligible for a partial denture. You can lose your teeth due to several dental problems as a result of which you may have difficulty in speaking or chewing food. The adjacent teeth may shift up or down to fill the empty spaces in your mouth, which in turn can affect your bite and put more stress on the jaws and teeth. A partial denture replaces your missing teeth and thus helps you retain a healthy mouth.

If you do not have any dental problem pertaining to missing teeth, or if you are not willing to go for a partial denture, you don’t need to undergo the treatment.

There are no such side effects of a partial denture. However, the dentures may feel odd or loose initially until the muscles of your tongue and the cheeks get accustomed to it and you get used to removing and inserting them. You may also feel soreness or irritation in your mouth, and feel the flow of your saliva increase after putting the dentures on.

Partial dentures are meant to provide you with the functions and forms of your natural teeth. It will take you time to get comfortable in your dentures but for that you will need to follow certain post treatment guidelines. You should avoid eating sticky or hard food and start with a liquid or soft food that is easily chewable. You should take necessary measures to keep your dentures clean. Start with a proper oral care routine- remove your partial dentures to clean food particles stuck in it, wash the dentures with toothbrush specially designed for cleaning dentures before putting them on. You should refrain from using bleach while cleaning your dentures as it can damage them heavily. When taking out your dentures at night, ensure to soak them in a vessel containing water, preferably a drinking glass. Actions such as coughing and sneezing can dislodge the dentures from their place due to creation of high air pressure. Don’t try to adjust your partial dentures by yourself. Make sure you visit your dentist often and get your partial dentures adjusted and repaired in case of an emergency.

It usually takes 6-8 weeks to recover from partial dentures. During this period the tissues of your gum will shrink and you will experience gum sores or irritation in your mouth. But if you follow the post treatment guidelines, you may heal faster.

The cost for partial denture in India varies roughly between Rs.12,000- Rs.30,000 depending on the different instruments and materials used for the treatment.

The results of partial dentures are usually permanent. Although a permanent partial denture can be performed with a few remaining damaged teeth, your dentist will most likely recommend that the decaying teeth be fixed or eliminated from your mouth before performing partial denture in order to ensure that it fits accurately. You will also need to visit your doctor often to get the dentures adjusted and repaired if they ever break.

An alternative treatment for partial dentures is most definitely a complete denture procedure or a cemented bridge procedure. Implants and cemented bridges are more natural in terms of their feel and look but are also costlier as compared to dentures.