Partial Dentures
Ferndale, WA
Partial Dentures provided by Kelsey Ullsmith, DMD
in Ferndale, WA at Dentistry with Smiles
 Tooth loss poses numerous problems for your overall quality of life. When you are missing a section of your teeth, it impacts your ability to properly chew your food. Chewing is the first, and a critical, stage in the digestive process, allowing for the breakdown of your food so that your body can access essential nutrients. Tooth loss can impair your speech, making it difficult for others to understand you. The surrounding healthy teeth eventually begin to shift out of their natural alignment, which throws off your bite and leads to a whole host of other issues. At Dentistry with Smiles, we can restore the functions, and appearance, of your mouth with partial dentures.
What are Partial Dentures?
Partial dentures are a removable prosthetic device that is designed to replace sections of missing teeth while leaving your healthy teeth completely intact. After all, when you have healthy teeth, there is no need to extract them. Partial dentures consist of false, acrylic resin teeth that are set into a gum colored acrylic base. They also have metal clasps, which attach to your healthy teeth, providing your denture with greater stability.
How Do Partial Dentures Work?
Partial dentures are created from an impression of your mouth, and custom created in a lab to fit perfectly in with the rest of your teeth. The gum colored base is meant to sit directly on your gum tissue, which provides the denture with some support, while the metal clasps provide additional support. When in place, partial dentures restore the functions of your missing teeth, making daily tasks such as eating and speaking, easier once again.
Adjusting to Life with Partial Dentures
It does take some time to adjust to having a partial denture in your mouth. It often feels a bit odd at first, but it should take just a few weeks to grow accustomed to it. There are things you can do to help yourself adjust, including eating soft foods in the beginning and making sure you cut your food into more manageable bite-sized pieces. Chewing on both sides of your mouth can help to evenly distribute pressure. You should also avoid eating anything chewy or sticky. These types of foods can dislodge your partial denture, which can then cause painful sores. Finally, avoid forcing your denture into place, as doing so can damage it, and bend the clasps.
Do Partial Dentures Require Special Care?
Dentures do require additional care each night. It is important that they are removed nightly for cleaning with a special denture paste. Do not use toothpaste, as toothpaste contains abrasives that can lead to microscopic scratches (which create an ideal home for bacteria). Leave your dentures out to soak each night. Make sure that you continue to brush your natural teeth as normal, and don’t forget to brush your gums as well.
Benefits of Partial Dentures
Partial dentures have several benefits:
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You can properly chew your food again, which, in turn, improves digestion and overall nutrition.
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Your speech is improved.
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Partial dentures hold your natural teeth in proper alignment, preventing them from shifting out of place.
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Your smile and your confidence are restored. |
Partial dentures can go a long way in restoring your quality of life. For more information, or to find out if partial dentures are right for you, contact Dentistry with Smiles today at (360) 647-1715.
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