If you have lost several teeth, the question is usually not whether to replace them. It is whether you look after the teeth you have left and work around them, or start fresh.
A partial fills the gaps and clips onto the teeth you have left. Those remaining teeth grip it in place, which is why it moves less than most people expect.
The advantage is that you look after your own teeth. They work the bone in your jaw, they help you feel your food, and biting is easier.
A partial needs healthy teeth to grip. If the teeth you have left are loose from gum disease, decayed or badly worn, they cannot take the load.
Clipping a partial onto a failing tooth usually finishes that tooth off, and then the partial no longer fits. That is where a full denture becomes the straight answer, even though nobody wants to hear it.
A full denture replaces everything on that jaw and rests on the gum. The upper one grips well, because it seals against the roof of the mouth. The lower one grips less and takes more getting used to.
Most people need a few adjustments in the first weeks while the gum settles. That is normal and not a sign of a fault.
A denture can also be anchored on implants, which stops the lower one moving. It costs more and takes longer. For people who cannot get on with a lower denture, it is often the answer.
It is worth asking about before you decide.
We look at how many teeth you have left and where they are. We check the gums, the bone and how the two jaws meet. Then we talk about what you want to eat and how you want to look.
Our lab is on site, so a denture is made in the same building where it is fitted. When a sore spot needs easing, that is a short visit instead of a wait.
Our dentures London Ontario page explains both types and what the fitting appointments involve. Call 519-472-4460 and we can talk it through before you commit to anything. We have been doing this in London since 1972.
