Partial Dentures
Partial dentures replaced a number of lost teeth within proximity of one another. Partial dentures most often involved the use of plates. Plates with artificial teeth attached to them were secured in the mouth with clasps to replace the lost teeth. (8) Unlike pivot teeth which were secured permanently, partial dentures on plates could be removed, and in fact removal was advised for regular cleaning. (11) These kinds of dentures were worn as long as the surrounding teeth in the mouth were healthy because partial dentures rely on clasps connecting them to the natural teeth in order to stay firm in the mouth. (8)
The construction of partial dentures first required impressions-much like today’s dentures- prior to construction. This ensured that they fit the patient’s specific mouth configuration. Once the dentures were constructed, they were inserted into the mouth and attached to other teeth via the clasps. (8) The clasps were made of metal (such as gold) (11) and did not perfectly fit the mouths of patients naturally, so they were slightly bended and filed for the best possible adaption. Once worn and properly adjusted however, partial dentures with clasps were quite comfortable so long as they were maintained and handled properly when attaching and removing them from the mouth. (9)