A Partial Denture is a removable oral appliance that is made for when you are missing some of your natural teeth but not all of them, on either the top (called an Upper Partial Denture) or the bottom (called a Lower Partial Denture). Our dentures are natural looking and comfortable, allowing you to chew your food well, make you look younger and to regain a confident smile! At the Grantham Denture Clinic, we make removable dentures that allow you to take them out daily for cleaning, and to soak them in a denture bath container overnight to assure you of a comfortable sleep, and to wake up to fresh dentures again in the morning. If you have never worn a denture before, or need to replace an old, existing one, your denturist can make you a new, custom-fitting partial upper or lower denture.
If you don’t have any natural teeth left on either your top or bottom, your denturist can instead make you a Full Denture. We can make you any combination of full & partial denture, upper or lower.
If you have an Existing Partial Denture and have just either lost or had extracted (or will be getting extracted) one or more additional natural teeth, then you may not even need a New Denture at all. Instead, your denturist can just add additional artificial teeth to your Existing Partial Denture. Just call us to book a Free Consultation appointment so your denturist can assess your situation and discuss with you your options.
Main Partial Denture Choices
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Cast Metal Dentures
Cast Metal Dentures have a metal framework as the main part of the base of the denture, to which your denturist then adds the pink acrylic and teeth. Most people opt for a Cast Denture (as opposed to an Acrylic Denture) because it is much stronger and thinner and less likely to break over time.
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Acrylic Dentures
Acrylic Dentures have the base made entirely of acrylic plastic, though the clasps that hold the denture onto your natural teeth are made of metal. Sometimes, when we’re talking about a partial denture of only 1 or 2 teeth, you can get a denture that is called a Flipper.
Number of Appointments
At Your Appointment (consultations are free of charge), your denturist will make an assessment on whether you even need a new denture (perhaps your existing denture is still in good shape and all you need is an adjustment, reline or repair), and if the recommendation is a new denture, help you choose the type of denture that fits you best based on how many teeth are going to be replaced and other considerations. If you will be getting a new Partial Denture because you still have some of your own natural teeth and only one or more are missing, but not all, then the number of appointments you will need are as follows (unless all your teeth are missing, in which case you will need a Full Denture):
Partial Dentures (Regular*)
(4 appointments over 3-4 weeks usually)
* Regular as opposed to Immediate Dentures, which are dentures we make for you that can be placed into your mouth immediately after the extractions of your teeth, or Implant Dentures, which are dentures made to snap onto implants that have been surgically screwed into your jaw bone.
Acrylic Partial Dentures (no metal framework) usually takes 3 weeks.
Cast Partial Dentures (with a Cast Metal Framework), that needs to be sent out to a lab with casting equipment, usually takes 4 weeks (we usually get the metal frame back from the lab in 9-12 days, depending on how busy the lab is).
In general, whether you are getting a Partial Upper Denture or a Partial Lower Denture or Both (acrylic or cast), you will need these 4 appointments:
(1) Preliminary Impressions, (2) Bite, (3) Wax Try-in, (4) Finished Denture Inserted
If you are getting both one Partial Denture and one Full Denture, then you will need 4-5 appointments as outlined under Full Dentures (Regular) on that page, as a full denture usually takes 4-5 appointments and a partial denture 3-4. We make both dentures at the same time (as opposed to making one first to completion and then the second one by itself afterwards—unless you want it that way); each of your appointments for each one are done simultaneously. But your Full Denture will take 4-5 appointments.
Cast Metal Partial Dentures
Cast Metal Partial Dentures have a casted framework as the main part of the base of the denture. Denture clinics send out your Impression models (molds) to have this work done, along with instructions on precisely how to fabricate the metal framework.
When this comes back, your denturist then adds the pink acrylic to finish off the base, and adds the teeth as necessary for your customized requirements.
Cast dentures can be made for either the top or bottom.
Most people opt for a Cast Denture (as opposed to an Acrylic Denture) because it is much stronger and less likely to break over time. In some cases an Acrylic Partial is superior over the metal framework Cast Denture because of the condition of your natural teeth, the position of your natural teeth or the shape and size of your natural teeth.
Acrylic Partial Dentures
Acrylic Partial Dentures have the base made entirely of a hard acrylic plastic resin, though the clasps that hold the denture onto your natural teeth are made of metal.
Acrylic dentures can be made for either the top or bottom.
This type of denture is entirely made in-house at the Grantham Denture Clinic in our on-site laboratory. One advantage of Acrylic Partials is that they usually can be finished sooner, as they don’t have to be sent out to an external lab like Cast Dentures need to be.
Flippers
Sometimes, when we’re talking about a 1-tooth partial denture (less often a 2-tooth partial), the acrylic denture is called a Flipper, and it doesn’t have metal clasps: it is just held in place using the tightness of the fit around your natural teeth (this is called a friction fit). The advantage to this type of fit is that you will see no metal clasps. The disadvantage is that the nice tight fit is temporary: this fit will slowly loosen over time (months) as the acrylic wears (due to inserting and removing the partial from your mouth many times) and your teeth slightly shifting.
There is another type of Acrylic Partial Denture that is flexible and called a Valplast Flexible Partial Denture (made with a Valplast® resin). This type of partial is not fully recommended due to many disadvantages. This can be discussed with your Denturist.
Options for New Dentures
(View Options for Your Existing Dentures instead)
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Immediate Dentures
If your natural teeth still need extraction by your dentist or oral surgeon, especially if it’s a large number of teeth, then you have the option for us to make you what’s called an Immediate Denture, that can be placed into your mouth immediately after the extractions of your teeth, or you can wait for your gums to heal for us to make you a regular Full or Partial Denture.
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Implant Retained Dentures
If you choose the often superior method of getting your oral surgeon to place permanent implants in your upper and/or lower ridges (bone), we can make you an Implant Retained Denture that you snap in and out of your mouth to achieve the best denture fit, comfort, stability, hygiene, and functionality.
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Soft Liners
If your gums are more sensitive on the bottom, we can add a Permanent Soft Liner to your New or Existing Lower Denture that provides a more comfortable feel. This option is also available for your existing Lower Denture during a Reline or Rebase of it. There are advantages & disadvantages that you can discuss with your denturist.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Partial Denture made of?
What a partial denture is made of depends on the type of partial it is.
There are two types of partial dentures:
Cast Partial Dentures
A Cast Partial Denture has the added metal framework part, so this type of denture has three parts: (1) the cast metal frame and clasps part of the base, (2) the pink acrylic part of the base and (3) the teeth themselves:
- The Cast Metal Framework: the Grantham Denture Clinic sends out your Impression models (molds) to a casting lab (they have the casting equipment needed), along with instructions on precisely how to fabricate the metal framework.
- The Pink Acrylic part of the base is made of one type of hard acrylic resin (a type of plastic). When the Cast Metal Framework comes back from the casting lab, your denturist then adds the pink acrylic to finish off the base, adds the teeth as necessary for your customized requirements and then bonds it all together using heat curing equipment.
- The Teeth (see below for details).
Acrylic Partial Dentures
An Acrylic Partial Denture is similar to a cast partial, except it doesn’t have the cast metal framework. Instead, the entire denture is made of an acrylic resin (a type of plastic)—other than the metal clasps. This type of denture also has three parts: (1) the pink acrylic base, (2) the teeth themselves and (3) the clasps:
- The Pink Acrylic base of the denture is made from one type of hard acrylic resin (a type of plastic). Because the entire base of the denture is made from acrylic, it can be fully manufactured in-house by your denturist using our fully equipped on-site laboratory, which includes the heat curing equipment to bond the teeth to the base.
- The Teeth (see below for details).
- The Clasps (see below for details).
Further Details:
- The Teeth are made from a much stronger type of acrylic than the pink base. We use only premium, high-strength acrylic teeth. We have a large inventory of teeth, so you’ll have a range of colours, styles and shapes to choose from. Your very experienced denturist will help with the choices to make it as simple as possible for you, while ensuring the look is perfect for your needs.
- The Clasps hook onto your natural teeth by wrapping around a tooth to keep the partial denture secure, and are made from stainless steel. In the case of Cast Partial Dentures, the clasps are actually part of the metal framework throughout the entire partial. In the case of Acrylic Partial Dentures, the clasps are embedded in the hard pink acrylic during the heat curing process. It is the clasps on either a Cast Partial Denture or an Acrylic Partial Denture that gives especially a Lower Partial Denture a superior fit than a Lower Full Denture provides.
What are the benefits of partial dentures?
There are many uses and benefits of partial dentures, including ones you may not be aware of that are very important. Here are some of the benefits of partial dentures:
- Dentures allow you to properly chew your food, and eat the foods you want or need to, and that is why sturdy materials are used in their construction.
- Dentures improve your smile, allowing you to be confident in public. You no longer need to hide your missing teeth while speaking.
- That confidence also allows you to put your best self out there in your interactions with everyone, like in that job interview.
- Modern dentures look like your natural teeth: we try our best to hide the clasps so no one will even know that you wear dentures.
- If your missing teeth are affecting how you speak, with dentures your speech will become normal again with practice.
- Dentures play a supporting role in preventing your facial muscles from sagging which is known to happen when you suffer teeth loss.
Be that wise person who understands why it is important to take care of your mouth. Call us to book your Free Consultation appointment.
We understand the need to consider many factors
when selecting a denture that’s right for you.
That’s why we encourage you to visit us
for a complimentary consultation.
You’ll be able to ask questions so you can
make the best decision for you—with confidence.
Call us to book your Free Consultation appointment:
We understand the need
to consider many factors
when selecting a denture
that’s right for you.
That’s why we encourage you
to visit us for a
complimentary consultation.
You’ll be able to ask
questions so you can
make the best decision
for you—with confidence.
Call us to book your
Free Consultation appointment:
Our Mission at Grantham Denture Clinic for more than 50 years (first with father Joe and now with son Tim as your denturists) has always been to bring our patients exceptional solutions, techniques and quality care to their denture needs along with a compassionate approach, creating a calming environment with confident, yet gentle, personalized denture care, always putting our patients first. We just love the joy we bring to our patients’ lives when we fit them with a denture that makes them feel whole again.
Office Hours
| Mon | 9:00am-5:00pm |
|---|---|
| Tue | 9:00am-5:00pm |
| Wed | 9:00am-5:00pm |
| Thu | 9:00am-5:00pm |
| Fri | Closed |
| Sat | Closed |
| Sun | Closed |
