Living with missing teeth can be difficult. Without a complete smile, it can be harder for you to eat and speak effectively. Spaces in your smile can also cause oral health issues, such as increases in plaque, bacteria and food debris; and can allow your teeth to drift out of proper alignment. This can cause them to strike one another at the wrong angles and cause damage to the tooth enamel.
If the missing tooth is one of your upper front teeth, you will undoubtedly feel very self conscious about your appearance, no matter how polte the people around you may try to be. If that is the case for you, you should talk to our dentist, Dr. [doctor_name] about replacing your missing tooth or teeth. Dental implants are very effective single-tooth replacements, but they can be very expensive, and not everyone may be a suitable implant candidate. Dentures are excellent for replacing teeth. But you may not need a denture, and although dentures are less expensive than implants, they may be out of your price range. So what can be done so you can smile with confidence again?
A flipper denture may be a good choice for you. A flipper denture is not actually a denture, it is really a retainer with one or several prosthetic teeth mounted on it. It fits in with the rest of your upper teeth and is held in place partly by metal brackets. It is called a flipper because it is fairly easy to flip it out with your tongue. A flipper is not as strong as a regular denture, but it is much less expensive and may be a good option for you if cost is a concern. You will need to be careful when eating hard, tough or sticky foods. You should also use care when biting into things. You may want to cut harder foods into slices to avoid damaging or displacing your dentures.
Your flipper should fit firmly, but comfortably. If it is too tight or too loose, it will not be comfortable or effective. You should let the dentist know if your flipper does not fit well or causes you pain. You should remove your flipper twice a day and gently clean it using a soft-bristled toothbrush and a nonabrasive toothpaste, or a mild hand or dish soap. When you take it out before going to bed, you should place it in a denture soaking solution. Your flipper needs to remain moist so that it does not warp out of shape, and the solution will help to keep your flipper clean.
If you need to fill out your smile, and would like to find out if a flipper denture in [city], [state] would be a good fit for you, we would be happy to see you for an exam, consultation and recommendation. If you would like to schedule an appointment at [practice_name], call [phone] today and we’ll take it from there. Start smiling and enjoying your life again.