What Is A Dental Flipper – How Long You Can Wear It?

A dental flipper can also be called a transitional or partial denture. Used primarily for a temporary solution after breaking or losing a tooth, a dental flipper is also ideal for someone who has recently suffered from an injury or a dental knockout.

People usually respond to this type of tooth loss with a loss of self-confidence, which is one of the reasons why using dental flippers is so common. Easy to flip in and out of your mouth, dental flippers coms in all shapes and sizes to meet the needs of your mouth.

If you have dental injuries or damage to a tooth, using a flipper denture may help. You see, the way that these temporary dental fillings work is to essentially cover up any spaces in your bite. Regardless of the cause of your dental gap, you may be able to eliminate the space with a flipper denture.

What Is a Dental Flipper?

A dental flipper has the name because it does just what it sounds like. The partial denture “flips” in and out of your mouth easily, just like a retainer. When you insert and remove the dental flipper, the fitting is removed by applying a small amount of pressure.

For this reason, it may also easily fall out of place during mealtime, especially if the dental flipper is for a front tooth.

How Long Can You Wear a Dental Flipper?

Dental flippers are commonly worn for 24 hours without removing for washing. However, it is recommended that you rinse your mouth after each meal and after drinking beverages that can stain your teeth, like coffee and red wine.

Can You Eat With a Dental Flipper?

Some people purchase a dental flipper to replace a lost tooth or fill in space where a tooth was extracted. For this reason, it is common for someone to keep a dental flipper in their mouth during meals, however, it is also common to remove the flipper.

People who suffer from a broken or lost tooth in a place needed for chewing and breaking down food (like those teeth in the back) may wear their flipper to help with eating. People who wear this type of temporary denture in the front, or do not need it to improve their chewing ability, may remove the dental flipper during mealtime.

Can I Afford a Dental Flipper?

Generally, dental flippers are considered affordable. With a flexible price point between $300 – $500, depending on the number of damaged or broken teeth you have.

There are also prefabricated flippers available for purchase over-the-counter as cheap as $10 – $15. If you are preparing for a dental flipper, allocate a budget for at least $500. There are other alternatives to partial dentures (dental flippers) including dental bridges, a Snap-On Smile, and retainers.

Talking to Your Dentist About a Dental Flipper

When you damage, break or lose a tooth, it can be a traumatic experience. You may also notice a loss of your self-confidence and even discomfort in your bite when you are resting. That is why many people discuss the benefits of a dental flipper with their dentist. They include:

• A natural looking smile
• More comfortable bite
• Easier to eat and break down foods
• Holds your bite tighter
• Stabilizes your teeth
• Easy to remove
• Inexpensive when compared to other dentures
• A convenient way to fix your bite
• Simple to use
• Quickly available

After talking to your dentist about the benefits using a dental flipper could offer, you may also want to talk about potential problems with the denture. The most common problems people report, when using a flipper tooth, include breakage/damage, poor design or discomfort, increased risk of gum disease or tooth decay, loosening the grip on natural teeth.

A few things that can reduce irritation with a dental flipper include eating soft easy-to-chew foods, removing the flipper at night, regular cleaning, using an adhesive or topical anesthetic.

Talking to your dentist about your specific needs can help you understand the benefits and potential problems of using a dental flipper.

Today, there are options for temporary relief of a broken or lost tooth. Dental flippers are one of the least expensive and most convenient ways to replace a damaged or broken tooth. Comfortable and easy-to-use, a dental flipper can refresh your smile and ease bite discomfort – so don’t wait any longer. Call Gables Sedation Dentistry today, to discuss your options.