5 Must-Know Facts About Flipper Teeth

Are you getting an extraction in preparation for your denture implants? Here’s how a flipper tooth can help maintain the aesthetics and function of your smile. 

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If you’ve experienced tooth loss, whether it’s due to age, injury, or disease, it’s important to get a replacement as soon as you can.

Visiting your dentist/denturist as soon as possible is crucial because missing teeth can:

• lead to further tooth loss
• make it difficult for you to speak and eat
• cause bone loss
• alter your physical appearance and make you look older

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What You Need to Know About Dental Flipper Teeth

Replacing a tooth that has been lost due to age, trauma, or disease is not a quick process. The extraction site will need to heal and if a dental implant is being used, an additional procedure such as a bone graft may be required. This can mean going without a tooth for several months.

Why you should consider a temporary tooth: Going without teeth while waiting for your mouth to heal isn’t ideal because it can affect the position and stability of your remaining teeth. In addition, if the missing tooth is visible, it can make patients self-conscious.

The solution? You might want to consider including flipper teeth as part of your denture treatment.

What is a flipper tooth?

A flipper tooth is a removable, lightweight partial denture that is often used as a temporary replacement for one or more missing teeth. Many patients opt for it as it fills in any visible gaps so you don’t have to go without a tooth while waiting for your tooth implant.

Quick Facts

• A flipper tooth can be constructed before your natural tooth is removed so you don’t have to wait for it.
• It’s made from pink gum-coloured denture acrylic and may have clasps that fit around existing teeth to hold it in place.
• It is very easy to insert and can be taken out for regular cleaning.
• It will improve your appearance, as well as your ability to eat and chew food.
• Once you get your flipper, your denturist may ask you to eat only soft foods for the first week so you can gradually adjust to using it.

 

Benefits of Flipper Teeth

Aside from the obvious aesthetic advantages of using a temporary replacement tooth while waiting for your dental implant, flipper teeth have many benefits, including:

1. They’re lightweight - Flipper teeth are made from a very lightweight, yet durable material, so they’re comfortable and convenient to wear.
2. They improve your smile - A flipper tooth can instantly improve the aesthetics of your smile, alleviating any embarrassment you may feel when you lose a tooth in a highly visible place.
3. They can be modified - The structure of flipper teeth allows for some flexibility so if you lose another tooth, your denturist can simply add this onto the denture.
4. They’re an affordable, quick solution - Flipper teeth can be made prior to your extraction and can be put in place immediately afterwards. They’re also cost-effective, making them an ideal choice for all patients.

Remember: Flippers are Only Meant to Be Temporary

While flipper teeth are a very convenient and affordable denture option, you must remember that they’re only a temporary solution. Flippers don’t have a very long shelf-life - the material is not as durable as dentures and the fit may become loose over a relatively short period of time.

 

Call Today

At Future Smiles, we offer our Calgary patients a wide range of high-quality, comfortable, and affordable denture solutions including tooth implants, traditional full dentures, and flexible partials. Whatever your needs, budget, or lifestyle, we help restore the function and aesthetics to your smile.

Want to know more?

To find out more about our affordable and quality denture solutions, and how we can quickly restore the function and aesthetics of your smile, contact us today at (403) 475-0016 or book a consultation.