Metal partial dentures and other types of partials

You are missing a large area of teeth, and you are confused between the many dental treatments available today; metal partial denture, valplast partial denture, or implant? How about acrylic and acetol resin partials? Pros and cons of each approach? Which one is right for you? The following article will provide you with basic knowledge about the dental methods today to treat patients who have lost many teeth.

1. Implant

Implants are the most modern and advanced dental treatment available today, often applied in cases where the patient has NO roots. The implant works independently as a separate tooth, so it can be used in case of missing one tooth or many teeth.

To optimize the cost, instead of implanting each tooth position for the missing tooth, the doctor will advise “implant on all 4 “or “implant all on 6,” depending on the patient’s oral condition.

a. Pros of implant

The structure of the implant is similar to a complete tooth, so after implantation:

– Firmly fixed to help restore chewing and biting functions just like natural teeth

– Completely overcome the condition of jaw bone loss to help avoid the phenomenon of underbite and sagging facial muscles due to bone loss

– Aesthetic function is higher than that of removable dentures

– Successful implant patients will have beautiful teeth with the same function as natural teeth. The lifespan of the implant is almost lifelong.

b. Cons of implant

However, to have a successful implant, it is necessary to note the following issues:

– Cost: Implant is the most expensive treatment method of all teeth treatment methods because of the chewing function and almost absolute aesthetics if successful.

– Invasive surgery: require a dentist to make a detailed treatment plan and solid skills.

– Long treatment time: When choosing implants, patients need to persevere in treatment in stages, eat, and keep their teeth clean to help damaged tissues recover quickly.

– Not suitable for all patients: Because transplantation is invasive surgery, not all patients may respond to surgery. The dentist needs to carefully consult Cases with underlying diseases or blood clotting disorders.

2. Partial Dentures

Compared with implants, more patients choose partial dentures because of their reasonable cost, less treatment time, and a sense of security for many patients afraid of invasive surgery. Dentures are now very diverse, and dentists will advise you when you come for examination and treatment. However, understanding the types of partial dentures will help you make the best choice for you

a. Removable Partial Denture (Acrylic Partial) and Flexible Partial Denture (Valplast Partial)

Acrylic Partial is the most basic restoration of the removable jaw. The completion time is fast, convenient, low cost, and suitable for almost all patients. However, acrylic partials have many disadvantages

• Acrylic is essentially a hard plastic, so it often creates many “sore spots” in the mouth

• The clasp part is a thin metal wire. Poor fixation ability makes acrylic partials often not fixed

• Very easily damaged and broken due to complex acrylic components

Flexible Partial Denture has the main component of flexible plastic (Valplast), which helps solve many disadvantages of Acrylic Partials.

• Valplast is a flexible plastic, so it is less painful than Acrylic partials
• The Clasp part is also made of Valplast, so it is more aesthetic than acrylic partials
• Very difficult to break due to flexibility

However, these two types of dentures still have some common disadvantages as follows

+ Ability to support

Two types of dentures are not stable and easy to move when used because it only receives direct support from the gums. All the force will be put on the denture and transmitted down to the gums when biting. Gums are soft tissues that are not good at bearing troops, so they can only support a small amount of chewing force. Therefore, when using these two types of dentures, the patient’s chewing function is poor, and they can only eat some soft liquid foods.

+Clasp

The support clasps are thin metal wire (acrylic partials) and flexible plastic ( Valplast partials), so the fixation is poor and uncertain; most of the primary role of these clasps is to help fix the dentures without falling out of the mouth. The part of force transmission is very least

+ Other problems

The wearer using these types of dentures creates a chewing force; biting acts on the gum tissue for a long time, which will cause damage to the gum tissue, leading to gum recession.

In addition, when using these two types of dentures, the wearer needs to build a habit of clean oral hygiene to remove food plaque. The accumulation of plaque over time will form black, stained areas on acrylic and valplast partials

+ Food taste

Patients with these two types of partials often report having difficulty eating because these two types of removable partials are not stable, only supporting the chewing of soft foods. In addition, the patient feels gum pain when chewing hard foods due to the use of much force. Since then, the perception of food has been worse

+ Suitable for which patients?

Most dentists only advise using these two partials for patients with limited treatment costs, allergies to metal components, or patients who need to use temporary teeth during the waiting period. Implant shape because this disassembly does not bring high rehabilitation efficiency, only used for a short time

b. Metal Partial Denture ( Chrome Cobalt or titanium framework )

Compared to acrylic and Valplast dentures, metal partial denture presents a better functional advantage. The only disadvantage of this type of restoration is that it does not meet the aesthetic side due to the metal components from the base and exposed clasps.

+ Ability to support

Metal clasp and frameworks give metal partial dentures a better fixation than acrylic/ valplast dentures. Metal clasps attached to the natural teeth help reduce the biting force on the gums. The metal framework helps transmit the bite force and helps fix the denture.

A metal partial denture helps the wearer to enjoy a wider variety of dishes. Stable bite and chewing force help to feel food better

+ Clasp

The advantage of metal partial denture is that the metal clasps are seamlessly connected to the framework, creating a uniform distribution of force on the teeth and gums, thereby helping this type of restoration promote high efficiency for the user.

In some cases, due to aesthetic requirements, the wearer may want to change the clasp material from metal to another material. However, it does not work well because it reduces the function of the dentures and the clasps are not durable due to being attached with glue.

+ Other problems

Poor biocompatibility due to metal components may cause allergic reactions in some people

The metal clasps exposed on the abutment teeth are unsightly

Some patients will feel uncomfortable due to the weight of the metal components on the supporting tissue. However, if the patient chooses a metal partial denture made from a titanium base, the “height” problem will be overcome entirely when titanium is four times less in weight compared to chrome cobalt

+ Food Taste

The fixation of metal partial dentures helps transmit the bite force to the food better, thereby helping the person perceive the food taste better than acrylic/valplast dentures. However, if the wearer is sensitive to metallic odors, the metal partial denture is not a good choice because the “metallic smell” can affect food taste.

c. Acetol Resin Dentures

Acetol Resin dentures were created for patients who wanted a partial denture with the characteristics of Valplast (light, aesthetic, biocompatibility) and Metal Parials (fixed, sturdy).

• Very strong but very light (as light as titanium)
• Biocompatibility
• Slightly flexible -> deeper undercuts for better retention
• Shade from A1-A4 for matching teeth’s color
• No visible metal material

Where to find a quality outsourcing dental laboratory?

In Vietnam, Xdent is one of the specialist dental partners for the foreign market. Xdent is a subsidiary of Nha Viet dental group – the largest distribution center of dental materials in the Vietnam market since 2006. With a long experience in the dental field, we will bring partial dentures at competitive prices to the customers.

Author: Xdent team