Partial Dentures


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What Are Partial Dentures?

Partial dentures are used when people lose a few teeth and are an alternative to having a full extraction. You can consider this option if the missing teeth are in either your upper or lower jaw. Partial dentures are sometimes referred to as “RPDs” or Removable Partial Dentures. They are made in the same way that complete dentures are - a partial denture is made of an acrylic plate, which fits over the palate of your mouth. It has the required number of false teeth attached to the plate so that when you slot it into your mouth the teeth fill the gaps in your mouth.  It is held in place by small metal clips inside your mouth that fit around your teeth. This is less traumatic for your mouth because you will not need to have a full extraction before hand. It may be that you only have a few gaps where teeth should be and so you won’t need anything extracted at all. Types of partial denture differ only in the material used for the plate that the false teeth attach to, and in their specific purpose – all of them use the standard plastic false teeth.

What is a Treatment RPD?

One type for instance is the Treatment RPD, known in the industry as ‘the flipper’. This is made of hard pink acrylic, the same as a full set of dentures, but it is particularly easy to add false teeth to as well as adding dental plate. This makes it suitable for patients whose remaining original teeth are decaying or if the patient is suffering from periodontal disease. Partial dentures can also be made from a more flexible plastic – better for people with sensitive gums, or from wrought metal which is less noticeable to the tongue.


If you lose more teeth whilst you’re wearing the dentures, don’t worry, whatever type of partial denture you have your dentist should be able to incorporate the missing teeth into the dentures’ design. Partial dentures are removable and should be left to soak in water for at least 15 minutes a day and cared for as you would removable full dentures.

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