Will people see the clasps?

That depends on where your missing teeth are and which design is used. It is worth raising at the first visit, because it can influence the design.

Will it change how I talk?

For a short while. Most people adjust within a few weeks, and reading out loud speeds it up more than anything else.

Generally no. Your gums need time without it, and taking it out at night is part of keeping the tissue underneath healthy.

Partial Dentures

Partial Dentures in Kearny Mesa

For the gaps, not the whole arch.

Call (858) 256-4838 Text (858) 256-4838

At a glance

What it is: A removable replacement for several missing teeth, clasped to the teeth you still have.
Where: Kearny Mesa Smile Center, 8018 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111.
When: Fridays and Saturdays, 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Appointments: Two or three in most cases.
After delivery: Every patient is scheduled for a check one week later.

Several Gaps,Healthy Teeth Left

When you have lost several teeth but still have healthy ones, you are in the position a partial is built for. You do not need a full denture, and replacing each missing tooth individually may be more treatment than the situation calls for.

There is also a reason not to wait. Teeth drift into spaces. The longer the gaps stay open, the more the remaining teeth move, and the harder it becomes to fit anything around them.

How Partial Dentures Are Made Here

01. A physical impression, then a scan. We take an impression and scan it for the laboratory. Intraoral scanners still struggle to capture soft tissue accurately, and your gums are what the partial rests against.
02. A try-in. You see the teeth set in acrylic before anything is finalized, and you approve the shape and shade.
03. Delivery. The finished partial is fitted and adjusted, and you go home with instructions.
04. Your one week check. Every patient is scheduled for a check a week after delivery, to evaluate fit and comfort.

Partial, BridgeOr Implants

A partial comes out. That is its advantage and its disadvantage. It replaces several teeth at once without involving the healthy ones, and it is the least invasive of the options.

A bridge is fixed but only spans a short gap and involves the teeth on either side. Implants are fixed, do not involve the neighbors, and cost more.

Dr. Cortes will lay out what each one means for you day to day.