Many patients experience the loss of a single tooth due to injury, decay, or gum disease. Standard treatments for single tooth replacements include use of a removable partial denture, a fixed partial denture (bridge), or a dental implant. All of these options have their merits; however, implants are generally considered the most successful.
Removable partial dentures are units in which replacement teeth sit on a base of gum-colored plastic, held together by a metal support structure. The partial is then attached to the gum line with a series of metal clasps. After placement, many patients express displeasure with the bulky denture and the metal aesthetic.