While missing one tooth can seem like a minor inconvenience, it can impact your confidence and affect your dental health in the long term. Missing one or more teeth has been linked to bone loss, changes in your speaking and eating, and gum disease To limit side effects on your life and health, one of the most common solutions you should consider is investing in a single tooth partial denture.
Our team at Ageless Smiles has over 30 years of experience bringing back the smiles of our clients. If you’re finding it difficult to be your best self while you have a single missing tooth, we are more than happy to hear your problems and guide you through your dental health journey. In this article, we’ll cover what single tooth dentures are, their advantages and disadvantages, and what you can expect a partial denture to cost.
Key Takeaways
- Single tooth dentures are non-invasive partial dentures one tooth [for] that can fill the gap and replace your missing tooth.
- The most common types of single tooth dentures are acrylic, thermoplastic (flexible), metal frame dentures, and implant-supported dentures.
What are Single Tooth Dentures?
A single tooth denture is a tooth replacement option that keeps your smile confident while you’re one missing tooth. They are sometimes called a partial denture or overdenture and are given to you while you’re waiting for a permanent solution like a dental implant. A single tooth denture is non-intrusive and offers a natural look, using a metal structure that affixes the false tooth and gum base in your mouth.
What are the Different Types of Single Tooth Dentures?
While dentures are designed to replace your missing teeth, they’re not one side fits all. There are several single tooth denture options your dentist or orthodontist will recommend based on your dental insurance, the health of your remaining teeth, and how long you’ll be wearing the dentures for. These include acrylic, thermoplastic, metal framework, and implant-supported dentures.
Acrylic Dentures
An acrylic single-tooth denture is made from acrylic resin and typically used as temporary dentures. If your main concern is partial denture cost, then acrylic dentures offer the most value. However, they are not meant for long-term use by design and can break during day-to-day activities like eating.
Nevertheless, our personal testimonials and studies have shown that patients tend to be quite satisfied with acrylic resin dentures over a 12-month period. If you’re looking for a quick-fix while we help you search for a permanent solution, acrylic dentures are an excellent option.
Thermoplastic (Flexible) Dentures
Thermoplastic dentures are another type of partial denture commonly used when you’re missing a single tooth. They are the more popular material for temporary dentures, with over 50% of patients finding flexible dentures more comfortable and aesthetic compared to acrylic dentures. A flexible thermoplastic denture can blend with your gums seamlessly and give you a more confident natural teeth smile.
Metal Framework Dentures
While flexible and acrylic dentures are temporary solutions for tooth loss, a metal framework denture is a superb long-term single tooth replacement option. Metal dentures are highly durable and able to withstand biting and chewing for at least 5 years. If you are looking for a single tooth replacement that offers longevity, you should potentially invest in a metal denture.
Many metal framework dentures are made using metals like cobalt-chrome, which are hypoallergenic and resistant against corrosion.
Implant-Supported Dentures
While not strictly full dentures, implant-supported dentures do offer more stability than partial dentures. Instead of a clasp or adhesives, implant dentures are anchored using dental implants. These offer you a secure foundation for your dentures, no matter if they are removable or fixed.
While they are more expensive than removable partial dentures, an implant-supported denture will offer you benefits like bone loss prevention, jawbone support, and facial structure integrity. Since they also don’t require clasps, they integrate seamlessly into your everyday life and aren’t impacted by activities like chewing or speaking.
What is The Procedure for Obtaining a Single Tooth Denture?
Obtaining a one tooth denture is extremely simple, and involves the following simple steps you can take at your nearest dental clinic:
- Initial Examination. Your dentist will assess your oral health and discern the impact that a single tooth loss can have on your teeth, gums, and jawbone.
- Planning Your Treatment. Once the initial examination is complete, your personalised treatment plan is next. Our team at Ageless Smiles is here to hear your story, how you want to resolve losing a tooth, and long-term goals.
- Taking Impressions. If you agree that a single tooth denture is the right solution for you, the next steps will involve taking impressions of your gums so wearing a partial denture will be comfortable.
- Creating Your Denture. Once impressions are taken, they are sent to a laboratory, where your single denture is crafted to match your natural teeth’s appearance.
- Initial Fitting. An initial fitting offers you the chance to make the final alterations to fit your teeth and gums. It’s at this point you should bring up any discomforts while wearing the single tooth denture.
- Final Placement. After the necessary adjustments have been completed, your flipper denture will be complete and can be worn. It’s at this point when your dentist will also speak to you about how to insert, remove, and look after your dentures.
- Follow-Up Visits. Every few months, your dentist may set up follow-up visits to monitor your dentures as well as your personal oral health. If you are experiencing any discomfort or damage, you can also make adjustments.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Single Tooth Dentures
If you are considering to replace a missing tooth with a partial or single tooth denture, please consider these advantages and disadvantages:
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How much do Single Tooth Dentures Cost?
The price of single tooth dentures can vary based on the type of denture, but you can generally expect to pay between $700 to $3,000 for partial dentures in Australia. Our Ageless Smiles clinic in Belmont accepts multiple payment options and health funds to support your journey towards a pain-free and bright, smiling future. If you are interested in finding a single tooth denture, give us a call today or book online for an initial consultation.
Single Tooth Dentures FAQs
Can I sleep with my dentures in?
Yes, you should sleep with your dentures in for the first nights to allow your teeth to adjust. However, once your teeth have adjusted, you should avoid sleeping with your dentures.
Wearing your dentures overnight can cause oral health problems including bacterial growth, gum inflammation, oral thrush, and an increased risk of pneumonia.
Does it hurt to wear dentures?
Dentures may hurt to wear for the initial period while your teeth adjust. This phase can last from a few weeks to a month, where you can experience discomfort and soreness while you speak and eat. You will grow more comfortable with your partial denture as time passes, which will stop the dentures from hurting your mouth.
