What Role Partial Dentures Can Play in a Smile Makeover

A patient who has a missing tooth or several missing teeth should not need to spend their life hiding their megawatt smile. Partial dentures as part of a smile makeover are an option that many dentists provide at relatively affordable costs. Dentures are no longer the rough plastic that people wore in recent decades. These days, advancements in methodology and technology have made it so that partials are often more functional and more natural looking than ever before.

The role of partial dentures in improving the smile

Partial dentures are a convenient way not only to restore functionality to the teeth but to improve the smile as well. When people have missing teeth in the front of the mouth, they will often subconsciously smile with their lips closed to prevent other people from noticing. When they can rely on partial dentures, it becomes easier to smile with confidence. Research suggests that patients who receive partials are more confident in social situations, sometimes including dating and that they may even come across better career opportunities than they did when their teeth were visibly missing.

A quick guide to partial dentures

Understanding a few key pieces of information can help a patient determine if partial dentures as part of a smile makeover are the right choice for them.

What is the process for getting partials?

Getting partials typically consists of three steps: restoring the anchor teeth, taking dental impressions, and delivering the finished product. Dentists recommend patients first pull any nonrestorable teeth, then treat cavities or signs of gum disease that could lead to further decay or infection. 

Once the surrounding teeth, known as the anchor teeth, are healthy, the dentist will take multiple impressions of the patient's mouth. These impressions help the lab make a set of custom-fit partial dentures in shades that match the patient's natural teeth and gums. 

When the partials are complete, there may be a trial period that helps the dentist determine if the framework fits correctly and is comfortable. After adjustments are complete, they will provide the patient with the finished product. At the final appointment, the dentist can fix any lingering rough spots or make any final adjustments.

What are the benefits of partial dentures?

There are several benefits to partial dentures. In addition to improving a person's confidence in their smile, partials help to restore function to the mouth. They make it easier for a person to enunciate words properly and to chew food more thoroughly.

Dentures also help patients to maintain their jaw's overall structure. When there are gaps between a person's natural teeth, it can lead to decay of the jawbone, which causes other teeth to begin to shift. 

Finally, partials are convenient. Patients can remove them whenever they want to, which not only makes it easy to be more comfortable at home but makes it easier to sleep at night. It is even easier to clean partials since they can be taken out for the process.

Conclusion

Patients who have missing teeth and want a smile makeover need only to look at partial dentures. They are functional, convenient, and affordable and restore confidence in one's smile.

Request an appointment here: https://siegertdental.com or call Siegert Dental at (608) 394-3943 for an appointment in our Onalaska office.

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