Hello Dr Hall,
I have been contemplating about “Snap On Smile” temporary teeth. I’m not sure if I would be eligible though. You see I am missing 2 front uppers with one other that might have to come out as well. I can’t afford dentures or implants, so I don’t have many options. I realize that a visit to the Dentist is the only true way of being sure, but before I spend the money I would like to have some idea if I am eligible. I’m 54 years old and in good health. Please let me know what you think.
Thank you very much,
Douglas from Texas
Douglas,
I don’t understand the condition of your mouth well enough to give you a recommendation, but I’ll try to be helpful.
You are missing two front teeth, and have another that might need to come out as well. It kind of sounds like you have periodontal disease, and that is why these teeth have to come out. That would mean that other teeth are loose and are in danger of needing to come out when they get too loose. The problem with doing a Snap-On-Smile in a situation like that is that it snaps on to your existing teeth, which means that it will put additional stress on the remaining teeth and accelerate the periodontal disease. Additionally, it may be very difficult to get a good fit if the teeth the dentist is fitting it to are mobile.
There is another option that would be even less expensive, and that would be a flipper partial. That provides a relatively inexpensive plastic tooth for each missing tooth. It doesn’t do anything to cover up other teeth, but if your other teeth look okay, the flipper partial would be much less expensive and easier to make and fit.
Dr. Hall.
About David A. Hall
Dr. David A. Hall was one of the first 40 accredited cosmetic dentists in the world. He practiced cosmetic dentistry in Iowa, and in 1990 earned his accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is now president of Infinity Dental Web, a company in Mesa, Arizona that does advanced internet marketing for dentists.