Partial Dentures

A partial denture, as the name suggests, is to replace some missing teeth in either or both the upper or lower arch. Sometimes it is required in one arch simply for appearance. More often it is required to improve mastication ability, but if remaining teeth are left unsupported, they may also drift sideways or over erupt making future replacement considerably more difficult.

The other major reason to wear partials is to support an opposing full denture. As an example, where you have a full upper denture and only six remaining lower front teeth – a very common scenario – when you bite on the front teeth of the denture, you will tilt the back of the denture down. Also it is impossible to satisfactorily masticate food without full dentition.

At DentuCare Denture Professionals, we make four types of partial denture;

• Acrylic Partials
• Valplast™ Flexible Partials
• Lucitone® FRS™ Flexible Partials
• Chrome Cobalt Cast Metal Partials

Acrylic dentures are the lowest cost and because of the ease of repair, reline or addition of further teeth, are generally advised where remaining dentition is doubtful or tooth loss is significant. Most acrylic dentures will have stainless steel retention, but in some cases that may not be necessary. Another retention option for acrylic dentures is clear or tooth coloured resin retainers or wings of semi-flexible acrylic.

Modern acrylic resins have improved break resistance and allow us to make the acrylic denture thinner than in the past.  
Reducing a reliance on “biting” food – simply by cutting or breaking the food into bite size pieces – can dramatically reduce the chances of breakage. There is ongoing research into making resins even stronger and more suitable for dentures.

Lucitone® FRS™ is strong, adjustable and flexible. It is an injected thermoplastic nylon, but is more rigid and therefore available for use in more situations than Valplast®. Another retention option for Lucitone® FRS™ dentures is clear or tooth coloured retainers. Repairs, reline or addition of future lost teeth may be possible, but it is important to check with your DP.

Lucitone® FRS™ flexible partials offer you a strong partial without needing metal clasps. This flexible resin system is stronger, more stain resistant, and less likely to fracture than similar systems. These flexible partials are processed using the Success injection system that ensures great accuracy. Being a thermo-plastic material means that it has great adjustment characteristics. It can have clear or tooth coloured clasps and will provide you with a strong, adjustable, flexible and aesthetic denture.

Benefits include:

• Easy to adjust, grind and polish
• Injected with Success® for proven accuracy
• Easy chairside adjustment
• Monomer and metal free
• Clear clasps; no more matching tooth shades
• Better impact and stain resistance vs. Valplast®

Chrome Cobalt Cast Metal dentures are generally thinner and smaller in the mouth than most other options and of course offer great strength and stability as well as support for remaining teeth. Because of the rigid frame, it is also easy to transfer bite forces to remaining teeth, rather than supporting gums, by the use of metal rests on the occlusal surface of the supporting teeth.

Retention of a cast metal partial can be either cast metal retainers, Valplast™, LucitoneFRS™ or tooth coloured resin. Repair, reline or addition of future lost teeth is rarely possible, so it is important to check with your DP.