Flipper Teeth
Flipper teeth are used to replace teeth that were lost due to tooth decay, injury, or gum disease. A flipper tooth, also called a flexible partial denture, is made from flexible plastic or acrylic resin. Traditional partial dentures have acrylic over a metal framework to make them stronger. The flipper teeth are cheaper, but they are considered to be a temporary tooth replacement method.
The typical price of a dental flipper is between two hundred and five hundred dollars. This price is less than half the cost of most tooth replacement methods. Many patients use dental flippers while saving money for a permanent tooth replacement like a dental bridge, implant, or traditional partial denture.
Because of how affordable the flipper is compared to other ways to replace teeth, some adults prefer to continue using dental flippers rather than trading it in for a bridge, implant, or partial denture. Though the flexible partial denture is not as sturdy as a traditional partial denture, with care, some people have used the same one for several years. However, some dentists estimate the life of a flipper tooth to be five or six months.
A flipper tooth is an ideal tooth replacement for children and adolescents who have lost a permanent tooth. Some tooth replacements like dental bridges can interfere with the normal growth and development of the jaw that occurs through childhood. Once the child reaches young adulthood, a permanent tooth replacement method can be used instead of a flipper tooth.
Dental flippers also are used by children who are models or compete in pageants. Though their use by children in pageants can be controversial, some parents get flippers for their young children to replace baby teeth until the permanent teeth are in place. Flippers are used for modifying a child's smile as well to obtain a desired affect such as making small teeth bigger for a larger smile.
Most people consider the use of dental flippers to be purely cosmetic in order to help the person feel better about their smile. A flipper can prevent the embarrassment of having missing teeth. The missing tooth can affect the person's self-esteem and make them feel less confident. Some people prefer not to use any tooth replacements.
When replacing missing permanent teeth, the flipper serves more purpose than merely cosmetic. If a tooth is missing, the gap can allow the remaining teeth to shift position. The teeth can become misaligned and affect the person's bite. The misaligned teeth can develop abnormal wear which increases the risk of tooth decay.
Patients who have teeth extracted may order a flipper to wear while waiting for the swelling to subside enough to be fitted for partial dentures. Some dentists recommend that the patient wait several weeks since the extraction can cause changes in the jaw, differences in the shape of the gums, and persistent swelling. Those interested in obtaining flipper teeth should discuss this and other tooth replacement methods with the dentist.
Deciding on how to replace a missing tooth is a big decision. Please visit this website article for more information about flipper teeth as well as information about root canal and alternatives to dental flippers.
