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Posts for tag: removable partial denture

People with missing teeth have more replacement options than ever before, including the ever popular but often more expensive dental implant. But there has also been an expansion of choice on the more affordable side of dental restorations. The flexible removable partial denture (RPD) is one such choice.
Though RPDs have been around for some time, the newer flexible RPD offers some advantages over the more rigid traditional RPD. They’re made of a kind of nylon that’s pliable but also strong and durable. This material is thermoplastic, meaning when heated it can be injected into molds based on a patient’s individual mouth to form an accurate denture base. The gum-colored base can also be formed to cover any receded areas of the gums, which can greatly improve smile appearance.
Older versions of RPDs are made of rigid acrylic plastic that stay in place in the mouth with metal clasps that attach to remaining teeth. The flexible RPD, on the other hand, is secured with finger-like nylon extensions that fit and hold in the natural teeth’s concavities near the gum line. This, along with its relatively light weight, offers a more comfortable fit.
But aside from these benefits, flexible RPDs do have a few drawbacks. Although fracture-resistant, they’re not easy to repair or reline to readjust the fit to accommodate mouth changes. They can stain (though not as much as a traditional RPD), so they require diligent cleaning and maintenance.
We consider the whole category of RPDs as “temporary” restorations, meaning they’re intended as a transitional phase between tooth loss and a permanent restoration like a natural tooth-supported fixed bridge or dental implants. For some, however, the flexible RPD might be a more long-term solution. As mentioned before, to extend their life as much as possible they should be removed daily and cleaned thoroughly. And like any form of denture, they should not be worn overnight.
In either case, flexible RPDs offer an effective way to restore not only dental function diminished by missing teeth but an improved appearance as well. With careful maintenance, they could serve you well for some time to come.
If you would like more information on flexible partial dentures, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Flexible Partial Dentures: An Aesthetic Way to Replace Teeth Temporarily.”

If you’ve lost some teeth you may eventually want to replace them with dental implants. Implants by far are the restoration of choice due to their life-likeness and durability. But those advantages don’t come cheaply — implants can be expensive especially for multiple teeth.
If you’re forced to wait financially for implants, you still have other intermediary options like a removable partial denture (RPD). The conventional RPD has a rigid acrylic base colored to resemble gum tissue supported by a metal frame with attached prosthetic (false) teeth at the missing teeth locations. They’re held secure in the mouth through metal clasps that fit over the remaining teeth.
But these conventional RPDs can sometimes be uncomfortable to wear and don’t always cover the bottom of the gum completely. If this is a concern, you might consider an alternative: flexible RPDs. The base of this RPD is made of a form of flexible nylon rather than acrylic plastic. They’re much more lightweight but still fit securely in the mouth with thin plastic extensions rather than metal clasps. The base can also be more easily formed to cover areas where gum tissue may have receded.
While flexible RPDs hold up better to wear and tear than their conventional counterparts, they must still be maintained like any other appliance. They can accumulate plaque (bacterial biofilm) responsible for tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease, so daily thorough cleaning is a must. And if there fit becomes loose they can be more difficult to reline or repair than other types of dentures.
They also share a common weakness with other dentures — they can’t prevent and may even stimulate bone loss. As bone ages, old cells dissolve and new ones form to take their place. As we eat and chew our teeth transmit the forces generated through the teeth to the bone to stimulate it to grow. RPDs and other dentures can’t transmit this stimulus, so the bone replaces much slower to the point that the bone volume can diminish.
That’s why it’s best to consider any RPD as a temporary solution until you can obtain an implant for a more permanent and bone-friendly option. In the meantime, though, an RPD can provide you with a great solution for both form and function for missing teeth.
If you would like more information on RPD choices, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Flexible Partial Dentures: An Aesthetic Way to Replace Teeth Temporarily.”

Belton
561 North Scott Ave. Suite A
Belton, MO 64012
(816) 331-4333
fax: (816) 318-8178
Adrian
20 E. Main St.
Adrian, MO 64720
(816) 297-2297
Archive:
- 2019
- January (6)
- Stay Hydrated in Winter for Better Year-Round Oral Hygiene
- Want to Keep Enjoying Winter Sports? Wear a Mouthguard!
- Protecting Primary Teeth from Decay Helps Ensure Future Dental Health
- Implant-Supported Dentures Could Boost Your Jawbone Health
- How a New Approach to Treating Decay Could Benefit You
- Topical Fluoride is a Safe Way to Protect Your Child's Teeth from Decay
- 2018
- December (6)
- Inflammation is a Key Element in Both Oral and Systemic Diseases
- Practice Daily Oral Hygiene to Prevent Calcified Plaque Formation
- Dental Visits are Key to Detecting Early Developing Tooth Decay
- 3 Things You Might Notice with Your Child's Teeth That Need a Dentist
- Managing Diabetes and Gum Disease Together will Lessen the Effect of Both
- Support Your Child's Dental Development with Preventive Care
- November (6)
- Moderate Your Child's Juice Drinking to Lower Tooth Decay Risk
- Diabetes and Oral Health: True or False?
- TMD and Fibromyalgia Could Share Links in Chronic Pain
- The Connection Between GERD and Oral Health
- Gum Surgery Can Improve Your Smile and Save Your Teeth
- A Stainless Steel Crown Could Help a Struggling Primary Molar Last Longer
- October (6)
- Keep up Regular Dental Care While You're Pregnant
- Don't Stress Over Your Child's Teeth Grinding Habit Unless it Persists
- New Dental Advances Promise Better Outcomes for Treating Decay
- What You Should Know About a Home Teeth Whitening Kit
- Be Sure to Have a Dental Exam Before Whitening Your Teeth
- Although a Challenge, Chronically Ill Children Need Tooth Decay Prevention
- September (6)
- 4 Reasons You Should Begin Your Child's Dental Visits by Age One
- Office Fluoride Treatments Can Add Extra Protection to Your Child's Teeth
- Effective Oral Hygiene is Key to Disease Prevention While Wearing Braces
- Treating Gum Disease around Tooth Roots is Hard - but Not Impossible
- See Your Dentist if You're Having one of These 3 Dental Problems
- Seek Immediate Treatment for this Advanced Form of Gingivitis
- August (6)
- Have Your Loose Tooth Examined as Soon as Possible
- Advances in Dental Health that may be Waiting for us Just around the Corner
- Treating a Child's Tooth Injury May Require Special Consideration
- Sleep Apnea Might be Robbing you of More than a Good Night's Sleep
- Veneers may Offer a Less Invasive Way to Transform Your Smile
- 5 Causes of Bad Breath and What You Can Do About It!
- July (7)
- Some Patients Might Need Antibiotics Before Routine Dental Work
- A Second Root Canal Treatment May Help Save an Endangered Tooth
- Tooth-Colored Fillings Provide a Viable Alternative to Dental Amalgam
- What Happens in a Root Canal Treatment and How it Can Save Your Tooth
- Porcelain Veneers Could Change Your Appearance for the Better
- Need an Effective but Affordable Tooth Replacement? Look at a Flexible RPD
- Your Gum Tissue 'Biotype' Could Determine How Gum Disease Affects You
- June (6)
- Increase Bone Mass for Dental Implants through Grafting
- Saving a Diseased Primary Tooth Could Mean Better Oral Health Later in Life
- Gum Disease is Still a Threat to Your Dental Implants
- Watch What Carbs You Eat to Reduce Your Risk of Further Gum Disease
- Bone Grafting Might be Necessary Before You Obtain an Implant
- The Risk for Gum Disease Increases While Wearing Braces
- March (5)
- Periodontal Surgery may be Needed to Halt Gum Disease and Encourage Healing
- Prompt Treatment for Gum Disease Could Ultimately Save Your Teeth
- Provisional Restorations let you Try out Your New Smile First
- 3 Fluoride Sources You Should Monitor for Your Family's Dental Health
- Topical Fluoride can Enhance Your Child's Dental Care
- 2017
- December (5)
- The Perils of a Loose Permanent Tooth - and What to do About it
- Cosmetic Questions to Ask to Get You on the Right Path to a Better Smile
- Your Age Won't Necessarily Decide Against Straightening Your Smile
- Give Yourself the Gift of a New Smile
- Look at Your Options for Saving a Tooth First Before Replacing it
- September (5)
- A Teen with a Missing Tooth May Need to Wait on a Dental Implant
- Waiting to Afford Implants? Consider a Flexible RPD in the Meantime
- Risk Factors for Gum Disease
- Sedation Can Help Create a More Positive Dental Experience for a Child
- Stay Vigilant with Oral Hygiene to Avoid Another Bout of Gum Disease
- June (5)
- Loose Adult Teeth Require Immediate Attention and Treatment
- We may Need to Remove one or More Teeth Before Applying Braces
- A Smile Makeover Depends on Balancing Technique with Beauty
- Take Care of Your Dental Appliance to Extend its Longevity
- No- or Minimal-Prep Veneers Reduce Permanent Alterations to Your Teeth
- 2016
- October (5)
- Extracting Certain Teeth can Boost Orthodontic Effectiveness
- Ease Your Child's Discomfort During Teething
- Keeping up Good Hygiene Still a Necessity with Dental Implants
- An Infected or Injured Primary Tooth Can Be Saved - but it's Complicated
- Make Efforts to Protect Your Teeth from Disease While Wearing Braces
- August (5)
- Antibiotics Could Help Ensure your Implant Surgery is Successful
- Root Planing Cleans Plaque from Tooth Roots Without Surgery
- See Your new Look Before Dental Work with a 'Trial Smile'
- Proper Brushing and Flossing Removes Disease-Causing Plaque
- Local Anesthesia Eliminates Pain Completely During Dental Work
- June (5)
- Replacing a Tooth or Saving it - Which Should you do?
- Getting the Full Picture of Your Decay Risk Leads to Better Prevention Strategies
- That Small Mouth Sore is Likely Nothing - but Still Have it Checked
- Home Whitening Kits are Safe and Effective, if Used the Right Way
- 4 Things You Should be Doing to Maintain a Healthy Mouth
- March (5)
- Implant-Supported Dentures - a Better Fit with Excessive Bone Loss
- Know the Kind of Smile You Want Before Cosmetic Dental Treatment
- 3 Tips for Minimizing Enamel Erosion from Sports Drinks
- Regular Screenings Could Help With Early Oral Cancer Detection
- Though not Always Seen, it's Still Important to Replace a Missing Back Tooth
- 2015
- December (5)
- Implant-based Overdentures may be a Better Long-Term Fit Option
- Treating Dry Mouth is Important for Maintaining Good Oral Health
- Your Dentist can Help Guide you in the Best Treatment Option for Sleep Apnea
- Limit Acidic Beverages to Protect Your Child's Tooth Enamel from Erosion
- Three Considerations for Working with Your Dentist on Your Smile Makeover
- October (5)
- Your Veneers Have 'Staying Power' - if Cared for Properly
- A Root Canal Treatment may be Your Best Chance to Save a Tooth
- Keeping Fluoride to Just the Right Amount Protects Your Family's Smiles
- FAQs: Keeping Your Mouth Healthy After Gum Disease Treatment
- You May Need Surgery to Repair the Damage of Gum Recession
- 2014
- 2013
- 2012
- August (7)
- Maintenance Manual for Your Teeth and Gums
- Lasers, An Important Dental Diagnosis Tool
- A Smile Makeover Can Help Boost Self-Confidence
- “Prepless” Porcelain Veneers: Are They Right For You?
- Bleaching — An Excellent Tool For Whitening Stained Teeth
- The Elements of a Beautiful Smile
- Is It Time For A Smile Makeover?
- 2011
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