Restorative Dentistry
Partial Dentures in Jenkintown, PA
For gaps, when the teeth either side are staying put.
A partial denture replaces some missing teeth rather than a whole arch. It is removable, it is made to fit around the natural teeth you still have, and it keeps those teeth from drifting into the space.
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Partial dentures at MVP Family Dental
Gaps do not stay still. The teeth either side of a space tend to tilt toward it, the opposing tooth has nothing to meet, and over time the bite changes. A partial denture fills the space and holds the arrangement.
It is one of several ways to do that. Whether a partial denture, a bridge or an implant suits you better depends on where the gaps are, how many there are, and what the remaining teeth are like.
What it does
More than filling a space
The visible benefit is the tooth. The less obvious ones are usually what make it worth doing.
- Restores chewingReplacing teeth on the biting surfaces brings back what you can comfortably eat.
- Stops teeth driftingNeighboring teeth are less likely to tilt into a space that is filled.
- Supports the biteKeeping the arrangement of the arch protects the teeth that remain.
- RemovableIt comes out for cleaning and overnight, which some patients prefer and others do not.
How treatment works
Assessed, made, then fitted
A partial denture is made for your mouth, so treatment runs across a few appointments with records taken in between.
- AssessmentWe look at the gaps, the teeth around them, your gums and your bite, and compare the options with you.
- Preparing the mouthAny treatment the remaining teeth or gums need is done before the denture is made.
- RecordsImpressions or scans are taken so the denture is made to fit around your own teeth.
- Fitting and adjustingThe denture is fitted, the bite checked, and pressure points relieved at review.
Comparing the options
Partial denture, bridge or implant
All three replace missing teeth. They differ in what else they involve, and that is usually what settles it.
- Partial dentureRemovable, does not require work on the neighboring teeth, comes out for cleaning.
- BridgeFixed, but carried by the teeth either side, which have to be prepared and crowned.
- ImplantFixed and independent of the neighboring teeth, but requires surgery and enough bone.
Worth bringing to your consultation
- Any partial denture you already have.
- Any X-rays or records from a previous dentist.
- Which gaps bother you most, and why.
- Whether a removable appliance is acceptable to you.
Missing molars
Partials for back teeth
Missing back teeth are easy to live with because they do not show. What they change is what you can comfortably eat, and how the rest of the arch behaves over time — which is why we raise it even when it is not bothering you.
- Chewing shiftsThe remaining teeth take more load than they were meant to.
- Teeth driftAdjacent teeth can tilt into the space and the opposing tooth can over-erupt.
- The bite changesWhich can lead to more complex problems later than the original gap.
A back-tooth partial is built the same way as any other: replacement teeth shaded to sit with the ones around them, on an acrylic base made from records of your own mouth, removable for cleaning.
Two generations of dentists, one shared commitment to helping Jenkintown families eat, speak and smile with confidence.
MVP Family Dental · Jenkintown, PA
The short answer
A partial denture is a removable appliance that replaces one or more missing teeth while your remaining natural teeth stay in place, restoring chewing and helping to stop those teeth drifting. Gaps do not stay still: the teeth either side of a space tend to tilt toward it, the opposing tooth has nothing to meet, and over time the bite changes. It is one of several ways to fill a gap, and whether a partial denture, a bridge or an implant suits you better depends on where the gaps are, how many there are, and what the remaining teeth are like.
Partial Denture Questions
- What is a partial denture?
- A partial denture is a removable appliance that replaces one or more missing teeth while your remaining natural teeth stay in place. It is made to fit around them, from records of your own mouth. As well as restoring what you can comfortably eat, it keeps the neighboring teeth from drifting into the space. It comes out for cleaning and generally overnight.
- Does it come out?
- Yes. It is removed for cleaning and generally overnight, which is one of the main differences from a bridge or an implant. Some patients prefer that and others do not, which is worth saying at the consultation. It is cleaned out of the mouth while your natural teeth are brushed as normal.
- Why not leave the gap?
- Gaps tend not to stay still. The teeth either side can tilt into the space, the opposing tooth has nothing to meet, and the bite changes over time. Keeping the arrangement of the arch protects the teeth that remain. That is why we raise it even when the gap is not bothering you.
- How does it compare with a bridge?
- A bridge is fixed but is carried by the teeth either side, which have to be prepared and crowned. A partial denture does not require that work on healthy teeth, but it is removable rather than fixed. Which suits you usually comes down to whether a removable appliance is acceptable and what condition the neighboring teeth are in.
- How does it compare with an implant?
- An implant is fixed and independent of the neighboring teeth, but it requires surgery and sufficient bone. A partial denture involves neither. All three options replace missing teeth and differ mainly in what else they involve, which is usually what settles it.
- Will it feel bulky?
- There is an adjustment period with any removable appliance. Tell us about pressure points at your review so they can be relieved rather than endured. The denture is fitted, the bite checked, and adjustments made at those review appointments.
- How do I clean it?
- It is cleaned out of the mouth with a soft brush and a denture product, and your natural teeth are brushed as normal before it goes back in. Cleaning it out of the mouth is also safer for the appliance itself. Keeping both the denture and the remaining teeth clean is what protects the teeth it sits against.
- How long will it last?
- That depends on your mouth and on how the remaining teeth and the ridge change over time. Reviews are how the fit gets kept right. Bring any partial denture you already have to your consultation, since how you got on with it is useful information.
- Do I need to replace missing back teeth if they do not show?
- Back teeth do most of the chewing, so their absence usually changes what you can comfortably eat. Replacing them also helps stop the remaining teeth drifting and the opposing tooth over-erupting. The bite can change around a gap, and that tends to lead to more complex problems later than the original space. That is why we raise it even when it is not bothering you.
- Is a partial for back teeth different?
- It is built the same way: replacement teeth shaded to sit with the ones around them, on an acrylic base made from records of your own mouth, removable for cleaning. What differs is that the priority is chewing function rather than appearance. The assessment looks at which molars are missing, the state of the remaining teeth and gums, and your bite.
Dr. Vineetha Thomas, D.M.D.
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Dr. Priya Mathew, D.M.D.
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