A Partial Can Help Replace the Presence and Function of Multiple Missing Teeth

Your teeth are designed to work together to chew, grind and process the foods you eat before swallowing. When multiple teeth are lost in one area of your mouth from tooth decay or gum disease, you can suffer severe limitations in your overall oral function.

Sometimes dental implants mounted to a bridge can effectively restore the presence of these teeth. However, this requires multiple invasive oral surgeries that some patients are uncomfortable with. In a situation like this, the dentists at Family Dentistry, Inc.’s Lebanon, Ohio clinic might recommend fitting you for a removable partial.

This miniature version of dentures will correspond to the location and general shape of the missing teeth. It can be removed for regular cleaning and when you sleep. These artificial teeth are set into a material that looks very similar to natural gum tissues. It will also serve as a foundation to hold them tightly in your mouth. Some partials also include special hardware that locks them with the surrounding teeth.

Your Family Dentistry, Inc. dentist will start by examining your mouth and taking a few x-rays to assess the health of the teeth neighboring the existing void. If they find any other teeth with issues in the area we might also need to be extracted.

Once all questionable teeth have been addressed, we will cast a detailed impression of the area. This includes the surrounding gums, neighboring teeth as well as the corresponding teeth in your bite. The impression will then be sent to a dental lab where your new partial is custom made to match your mouth.

Even though the partial will fit tightly in place, you might want to still use denture adhesive to secure it in place. The adhesive also helps to block food particles from getting between the gums and your partial.