Transitional dentures are all acrylic dentures that can be made quickly to transition a patient after an a single extraction or multiple extractions. These can be used either temporarily while a patient makes up their mind about a final teeth replacement or can be utilized for long periods of time.
They differ from a conventional partial denture because they are lacking a cast metal component that is custom fit to a patient’s mouth. Because transitional partials have no major connector made from metal, they tend to be thicker and the clasps are just bent wrought wires (wires that are bent by the technician to fit the patient’s mouth model. They are often both less sturdy and bulkier than a conventional partial denture.
If they are made properly, they can fit well and some of my patients have chosen to wear these as permanent replacements. Conventional partials are 2-3 times more expensive and some patients do not see the need to have one made. It should be noted that many transitional denture wearers use denture adhesive as an adjunct, while conventional partial usually do not.
