Removable Dental Prosthesis

A removable prosthesis is a dental appliance that the patient can freely remove. The most common example would be a partial or complete denture. If the dentures are implant-supported, they usually have to be removed by your dentist since they are anchored to the implants. However, removable options may be available in certain situations.

You might opt for a removable prosthesis to save money. However, to be removable, they have to be loose compared to a fixed prosthesis, which can result in discomfort or embarrassment if they slip. Due to this impermanence, patients wearing removable prostheses will have dietary restrictions not present with fixed ones, particularly with very hard, crunchy, chewy, or sticky foods. These include steak, apples, toffee, bagels, carrots, and more.

In addition to these restrictions, denture use has been linked to bone degradation due to the jawbone lacking nutrients that would normally be provided by real teeth. Though removable dentures provide a cosmetic solution to missing teeth, the loss of bone density can cause additional issues such as a changing face shape as well as eating and speaking difficulties. These should be considered when choosing a treatment.