Are My Teeth Too Weak for a Partial Denture?

Could my teeth be too weak for a partial denture? My dentist wants to place a five-unit bridge for three upper left missing teeth. Gum disease destroyed a lot of my bones, so my dentist says a dental bridge is better than a partial denture. He is concerned that my teeth are already somewhat loose and that a partial denture will put too much pressure on them. The dental bridge is $6100 without the cost of extractions and sedation because I asked for IV sedation. Is that cost reasonable, or should I look elsewhere? Joan from Ga

 

Joan,

Your dentist’s fee is reasonable for Georgia. If you have dental insurance, you can check with the company to ask about coverage and your out-of-pocket costs for a dental bridge and a partial denture.

Are Your Teeth Too Weak for a Partial Denture?

We don’t understand why your dentist recommends a dental bridge instead of a partial denture. A dental bridge will restore the function and appearance of your missing teeth. However, the bridge requires shaving down the tooth on either side of the missing ones. Shaving teeth that are already weak to support a dental bridge and absorb the forces of biting or chewing will further weaken your teeth. Also, if you have a problem with the anchor teeth in a dental bridge, you must restart the process.

Perhaps your case is different, but a partial denture exerts less stress on adjacent teeth and is less risky. Also, your dentist can add a tooth later to a partial denture with minimal work and expense.

We recommend scheduling a second opinion with a skilled cosmetic dentist for an exam and discussing your tooth replacement options.

Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Steven Brooksher sponsors this post. Read what he does to provide some of the best dental care in Baton Rouge.