A bridge isn’t the best option for a smile with multiple gaps in the arch. In these situations, a partial denture may be the optimal selection. In today’s blog, your Newhall, CA, dentist talks about treating missing teeth and creating a custom partial denture. A full smile is possible, even for complicated cases of tooth loss.

The Causes and Dangers of Missing Teeth

Why do we start to lose our natural teeth in the first place? The factors could vary of course, but often include advanced cases of tooth decay, untreated dental infection, or even an injury to the smile. The most common use is periodontitis, the advanced stage of gum disease, which destroys the tissues connecting the teeth and gums. When we lose our teeth, this causes the surrounding ones to shift from position, leading to dental misalignment and worsening oral health. The stress on your smile and changes to your bite balance could then cause TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding), complications that lead to pain and worsening oral health. You could also have trouble eating your favorite foods, or even speaking clearly! Which is why you need to seek treatment right away.

The Partial Denture

A partial addresses multiple gaps spread out across your smile, replacing missing teeth for cases too severe for a bridge but not serious enough to require tooth removal and a full denture. The prosthetic contains new teeth set in an acrylic base, with metal clasps that attach to surrounding teeth and secure the new one in place. They tend to last about 5 to 10 years, requiring replacement as the jaw ridge shifts. They also need to be removed for cleaning and soaking as well.

Design and Placement

To create them, we will first take detailed digital x-rays and images of your smile to assess the severity of your tooth loss. We can decide if you have teeth that need extraction or not, and the images we gather can be used to design and crafty the prosthetic. The teeth will be created from ceramic, which we can shade to blend with the rest of your smile. We then connect the clasps to the abutment teeth, or the ones near the gap, and this will hold your new smile into place firmly. We can then answer any questions about maintenance and care!

If you have any questions about how we address missing teeth or about our partial dentures, then contact our team today.

Do You Have Questions About Missing Teeth?

Our team wants to restore function and balance to your smile with a lifelike dental prosthetic. You can schedule an appointment for a solution to missing teeth by calling your Newhall, CA, dentist, Dr. Tajik, at (661) 259-7760.