Removable partial dentures are often indicated for short-term use to allow healing to take place after tooth extractions before a permanent fixed solution – either a bridge or implant - can be placed.
All the fixed prosthodontic options are however much more costly, so we definitely do offer our patients the choice of removable dentures as an economical alternative.
There are also clinical situations where there is no alternative other than a removable denture. When there is not enough bone present to place an implant (sinus too low or too close to a major nerve), or the patient’s quality of bone is suspect (heavy smokers and uncontrolled diabetes), then implants may be contraindicated.
To place bridges we require stable support teeth, and the span of the bridge should preferably be not too long. If these conditions are not possible we have to resort to the placement of removable dentures.
The two materials used for removable dentures are either the pink-coloured acrylic base or the chrome-cobalt metal base, which offers more retention. For small short span unilateral dentures a new acrylic material, Flexident, is used. It gains it’s retention by fitting into the undercuts of the abutment teeth, and another advantage is that the clasps which are situated on the outside of the teeth are made from the same invisible pink coloured Flexident acrylic.