When you have several gaps in your smile due to untreated tooth loss, a bridge may not be enough to restore function and beauty to your smile. Likewise, you may not yet need a full set of dentures either. For these in-between situations, your Des Moines, IA, dentist could recommend a custom set of partial dentures.
Smiles That Call for a Partial
Sometimes there are gaps spread out across your arch, far apart from one another. These are complicated cases and without treatment, leave your smile vulnerable to the onset of misalignment or even jaw joint disorders like TMJ disorder and or even chronic teeth grinding (bruxism). To fill these gaps, we will thoroughly examine the smile and may recommend treatment for underlying issues like gum disease, managing them to keep your remaining teeth strong. We then see if any teeth need to be extracted. Finally, we’re ready to start the process of creating and securing a set of partial dentures.
Creating a New Prosthetic
Detailed digital images will be gathered of the smile from multiple angles. We then combine these to create a 3D impression, one we can use in a dental lab to design and create your prosthetic. The partial will contain new teeth, known as pontics, that fit in the gaps in your smile. These will be crafted from ceramic, which we can shade to blend with the rest of the smile. They’re inserted into an acrylic base that looks like gum tissue. Metal clasps will attach to natural teeth to secure your denture firmly.
Options for Support
Removable options will be held in place with clasps and last about 5 to 10 years, requiring replacement as the jaw ridge gradually changes shape. This change is due to the loss of mass and density that occurs following tooth loss, a complication linked to further tooth loss as well. However, by inserting dental implants into the jaw, we can stimulate the growth of jawbone issue to prevent these complications. We then attach a denture to them, so you have a fixed option that doesn’t need to be removed for maintenance. Dental implant options last for decades to come, and sometimes even a lifetime!
If you have any questions about how we treat major tooth loss with a removable or an implant-supported prosthetic, then give us a call today. Our team will find out which option is best for you, and start your journey to a full and healthy smile.
YOUR DES MOINES, IA DENTIST PROVIDES NEW SMILES
Our team is ready to help you maintain a full smile once again. If you have any questions about creating and securing a dental prosthetic, then contact your Des Moines, IA, dentist, Dr. Burds, by calling 515-244-9565.