Has anyone ever worn a dental flipper or know if it ever feels completely comfortable? I had my front tooth pulled almost 4 weeks ago and have had my dentist adjust it two times already. But there is a spot that is still sore on my gum right next to my other front tooth. In between were the other front tooth is and the flipper sits. I guess you would say it is in the extraction site itself, but on the side.

Anyways, I didn’t know if you will always have some discomfort with them. It feels better then it did when I first started wearing it, but I just want it to feel comfortable. I even went back to the oral surgeon because I was still having discomfort and was worried about the healing and he said everything was healing fine.

Any suggestions? I am definitely looking forward to my dental implant!

Could you please tell me what a flipper is? I've heard this term used before and think I may be headed in that direction.

Hi Alex,

Could the flipper appliance be pinching that area of gum tissue making it sore? Have you specifically pointed out that spot to your dentist? He may be able to adjust it so it's more comfortable. It's not unusual to have several adjustments to the flipper as the extraction site is healing and then again after the implant is put in. You will be wearing that flipper for several more months so it really needs to be as comfortable as possible and shouldn't be making anything feel sore.

Bryanna

Hi MsBees,

A flipper in dentistry is a slang term for partial denture. It is made of a thin pink (gum colored) acrylic material and it has a fake tooth/teeth on it. It is worn in the mouth and taken care of just like a removable partial denture.

A flipper is used to temporarily replace one or two extracted teeth during the healing phase of the surgery. It is also sometimes used during the healing phase from dental implant surgery. The reasons the flipper are worn ... 1) To keep the space open where the tooth was extracted so the teeth on either side do not close it in... and 2) For esthetics if the missing tooth was in the smile line and for chewing purposes if the missing tooth was in the back of the mouth.

Depending on the individual, flippers can made with reinforcement wire making them more durable so they can be worn for longer periods of time. For instance, if someone had their upper front tooth extracted and they were not going to replace it with an implant or bridge, rather than go without a tooth, they could possibly wear a reinforced flipper instead.

Sometimes, depending on the individuals diet and lifestyle, they may be able to wear a flipper appliance indefinitely or until it wore down and needed to be replaced by a new one.

Every case is a little bit different and it all depends on what the patient chooses as a replacement option for the tooth/teeth that were removed.

I hope this information is helpful. If you feel comfortable sharing your story here, there are others who could probably relate to it..... sometimes that can make the unknown a little bit easier ;-)

Bryanna

I had a flipper and it was absolutely miserable. Pulled on my TM joints and caused a lot of pain.

Thanks Bryanna! At least I know it is normal to have to have several adjustments made to a flipper. I did go back for another adjustment. It feels a little better.

People have to go back every few weeks to have it adjusted as the site heals? I thought you just got it adjusted when you first started wearing it and that is why I thought it was weird that my flipper kept feeling uncomfortable. So your reply made me feel better about having to keep calling the dentist.

Hey Alex!

How are you getting along with the flipper, other than the adjustments?

Yes, it is common to see the dentist several times in the first few weeks/months of wearing a flipper. It needs to fit properly and be at least somewhat comfortable. Surprisingly......... some people have little to no problems with it and then others...... can't wait to get rid of it!

There is no way to know ahead of time which side of the fence a patient will be on. We always hope that the patient will have a positive experience.

Good to see hear from you!

Bryanna

Hey Shelley!

That's sounds terrible! It probably didn't fit very well and was interfering with your bite. That could cause all sorts of TMJ problems. Did you have the flipper to replace a front or back tooth?

Bryanna

Hey Bryanna,

It wa a flipper made for that bone graft area. Upper Right back area. Just pulled on both jaws. Have been without it for a while. Thinking of having another one made though just with 2 teeth as opposed to three as It always felt two big for my mouth. We are actually only going to do the implants with two teeth instead of the three as my mought is very small.

Hey Shell...

It may have been too big, you're right. If I'm not mistaken, I think I mentioned awhile back about replacing only 2 of those teeth instead of 3. Has the area healed since the grafts were done or is there still a question about the integrity of the jawbone in that area?

Bry