Dr. Loewen may recommend a partial denture if you do not have strong enough support teeth on either side of you missing teeth to support a fixed bridge.  A partial denture helps to preserve the life of your remaining teeth.  It consists of a removable metal framework with one or more porcelain or plastic replacement teeth attached.  Unlike a fixed bridge, a partial denture can be taken out.

Preparing For Your Denture

Dr. Loewen designs your partials denture by first taking an impression of your opposing and surrounding teeth.  To ensure that the denture fits properly, sometimes the surrounding teeth may need fillings or crowns.  In some cases, oral surgery may be needed.  Depending on your particular problem -- such as missing front teeth or difficulty chewing -- Dr. Loewen may prepare a temporary partial.

Between Visits

After preparing your teeth, your dentist sends the impression and detailed instructions to the dental laboratory making your partial denture.  It usually takes between one and three weeks for the dental laboratory to make the framework for your partial denture.  If you have a temporary partial denture, Dr. Loewen will tell you how to care for it between visits after it has been positioned in your mouth.  Be sure to take the temporary partial out at night to clean it.

Fitting Your Denture

When your partials denture is ready, Dr. Loewen fits it to your mouth, checking for pressure spots on your gum, and evaluating the denture's effect on your bite and appearance.  Dr. Loewen will show you how to put the denture in and take it out, so you won't harm your natural teeth or the partial.

Additional Visits

It may take a few more visits to make sure your partials denture fits properly against your teeth and gums.  After you and Dr. Loewen are pleased with the fit, make at least one follow-up visit, so Dr. Loewen can recheck your bite and make sure your gums are healthy.  Call Dr. Loewen immediately if soreness develops.

Living With Your Denture

There are some easy steps you can take to adjust to your partial denture.

1. Practice reading out loud until your tongue adjusts to the denture.
2. Be prepared for extra saliva for the first few weeks as you mouth adjusts to having something new in it.
3. Eat soft foods at first to get used to eating with the denture in place.
4. Clean you dentures with a special dental brush every day, and soak it daily in water to keep it from losing its shape.
5. See Dr. Loewen if the denture needs adjusting or isn't comfortable.  Do not adjust it yourself; it may break.