Temporary. Now, while you heal
A flipper
A thin plastic plate with a fake tooth, worn for a few months. For your smile, not for chewing.
Missing a few teeth? Here is the plan.
You get two things. A temporary one now, a long-lasting one later.
Long-lasting. Later, once healed
A partial
Built to chew with, and built to last for years. You pick metal or flexible.
Pick your partial: metal or flexible.
Both snap in and out, and both can fill more than one gap. The difference is what happens later.
Metal partial
A thin metal frame. Strong and sturdy.
Pros
- Strongest, and can be made very thin
- Repairable. A tooth can be added later
- Clips can be adjusted
Cons
- A metal clip can show on some teeth
Flexible partial
One piece of bendy pink plastic. No metal.
Pros
- Nothing metal shows
- Comfortable
Cons
- Cannot be repaired. If it breaks, you buy a new one
- If a tooth comes off, or you lose another tooth, you buy a new one
- Clips cannot be tightened or loosened
- Not for a gap with no tooth behind it
A guide for discussion. Your exam decides which one fits your mouth. Open this on one screen.
The flipper is a placeholder.
The partial is the plan.
Your gum keeps shrinking for months after a tooth comes out. A partial made on day one would rock by month three. So the flipper holds the spot while the gum settles, and the partial is made to fit the gum you end up with.
- Day 1Tooth out. Flipper in. No gap in your smile.
- 3 to 6 monthsGum and bone settle. The flipper can loosen. That is normal.
- ThenMolds of your healed mouth, and your partial is made to last.
Five rules for any partial.
- 1
Out at night
Your gums need a rest.
- 2
Brush it every day
Denture brush only. Toothpaste scratches it.
- 3
Brush the clip teeth extra well
Food collects around clips and causes cavities.
- 4
Store it in water
Or a cleaning soak, so it never dries out.
- 5
Sore spot? Call us
Do not bend the clips yourself.
Written by Dr. Peter Bonifatto, DMD, a general dentist in Las Vegas. General information, not a diagnosis. Healing times and the right partial for you are decided at an exam. Reading this page does not create a doctor-patient relationship.
Just had a tooth out, or about to?
We can have a flipper ready for the same day, and plan the final partial with you.