How Does a Single Tooth Denture Stay In?
If you need a partial denture to replace a single missing tooth, then you’ll likely have a denture that features and uses clasps to stay in place.
Single tooth dentures, often referred to as flippers or partial dentures are removable dental prosthetics, which are used to replace a single missing tooth, and usually feature a metal clasp that wraps around adjacent teeth to help the denture stay in place.
How partial dentures stay in place:
Single tooth dentures rely on retention through clasping.
- Metal clasps: These are small metal hooks attached to adjacent (neighbouring) teeth. They provide stability for the denture and prevent it from moving out of place.
- Precision attachments: Sometimes, precision attachments (like wings) can be used instead of metal clasps for better security. They are more discreet and offer a better aesthetic result.
Improving how the denture stays in place
As the denture typically relies on clasps to stay put, sometimes, patients can utilise additional tools to help ensure the denture does not slip or move out of place. However, patients should note that these are not perfect solutions.
- Adhesive creams: Dental adhesives like creams can enhance the stability of the denture, providing an additional grip to reduce the amount of movement.
- Temporary adhesives: In the initial days of wearing the denture, it will take some getting used to, so patients can opt for temporary adhesives to keep the denture in place until you adjust to the prosthetic in the mouth.
- Proper fit: Having the denture fitted by a dental professional is crucial for ensuring stability, reliability and comfort.
- Regular adjustments: As you have a missing tooth, you’ll begin to lose bone in your jaw, which means as a denture wearer, you’ll need to undergo periodic adjustments to maintain a good fit.
- Good oral hygiene: Keeping the denture and surrounding teeth clean is crucial for preventing problems with the gums that might affect the denture’s fit and stability.
As you might gather, dentures are not the most reliable prosthetics, even partial dentures which can use hooks to secure themselves against other teeth. With dentures, some degree of movement is always to be expected. They’re imperfect devices. Avoiding accidents, where they slip out of place is not always doable. Many patients learn to live with them, and even to laugh at them. But for some, it’s uncomfortable and embarrassing – and even opting for the next level of treatment (dental bridges) is imperfect too.
If you want to live your life without limits and not have to worry about keeping your prosthetic firmly in place, then you should opt for a dental implant, which will last a lifetime (30+ years).
Dental implants act like artificial tooth roots and are implanted into your jawbone, which means they won’t move or fall out of place.
For you, it will be like you never lost your tooth in the first place. Dental implants cost from £1,900, which includes the implant itself, the abutment and the crown – and seeing as you’ll likely never need to replace them, it’s one cost you’ll only have to pay once.
The quality and density of bone around the implant site can significantly affect the implant’s longevity. As dental implants act like artificial tooth roots, they’re implanted deep into the jawbone. However, as bone loss is common in patients with missing teeth, there’s not always enough bone to securely hold the dental implant. That said, the dentist should check the density of bone when planning your treatment. In some cases, you might need a bone graft to ensure stable and secure implantation.
