What is a dental flipper? Why do they call it a flipper?

Imagine you find out you need a dental implant, but your mouth needs a little time-out to heal after implant placement and before the final, permanent tooth can be put in. Nobody wants to walk around taking selfies or eating lunch with a giant, unexpected gap in their smile for weeks. That’s exactly where a "flipper" comes to the rescue. A flipper is a removable and very lightweight temporary tooth that pops into that empty space, acting like a perfect placeholder to keep your smile looking normal while your gums do their healing behind the scenes.

So, why is it called a flipper? Because you can literally flip it in and out of your mouth with your tongue—though we will definitely tell you not to do that, no matter how fun of a trick it seems. You risk cracking it.

The flipper usually features a pink or beige, gum-colored plastic piece that hugs the roof of your mouth or your bottom gums to hold the fake tooth perfectly in place. It can come in different colors and every once in awhile there are small metal clips to help secure it (this is rare). Your flipper keeps everything looking fabulous while the real star of the show (your permanent tooth) gets ready for its big debut!

We cleaned the patients site and did a color match.

We digitally scanned his mouth to have the flipper made in time for his procedure date.

Other flipper colors are rare but available.