Dental prostheses are artificial teeth that replace teeth lost to causes such as decay, gum disease or trauma, restoring chewing, speech and aesthetics. They fall into three main groups: fixed prostheses (crowns, bridges), removable prostheses (complete and partial dentures) and implant-supported prostheses. The choice is planned by a dentist according to bone structure and the condition of remaining teeth.
- Used for patients missing one or more teeth.
- Removable dentures should be taken out and rinsed after every meal.
- Remove dentures at night and keep them in a container of clean water.
- Fixed prostheses should be brushed at least twice daily like natural teeth.
- If a denture becomes loose or rubs, see a dentist.
Missing teeth are a significant problem that lowers quality of life from both a health and an aesthetic point of view. Dental prostheses are artificial teeth made to restore lost teeth and tissues functionally and aesthetically. Thanks to modern dentistry, comfortable and long-lasting prosthesis options that are indistinguishable from natural teeth are available today.
Here is a comprehensive guide to dental prostheses, their types and the advantages of using them:
What Is a Dental Prosthesis?
A dental prosthesis is an appliance that replaces teeth lost for various reasons (decay, gum disease, trauma, etc.) and meets the patient's chewing, speaking and aesthetic needs. Prosthetic treatments not only complete missing teeth but also support sunken facial muscles, providing a younger appearance.
What Are the Types of Dental Prostheses?
Dental prostheses are divided into three main categories according to the number of teeth in the mouth and the method of application:
1. Fixed Prostheses
These are prostheses that the patient cannot remove on their own; they are cemented onto the teeth or implants by the dentist.
Crown (Cap): When a single tooth is damaged, the tooth is covered with porcelain or zirconia.
Bridge: When one or more teeth are missing, the gap is filled by taking support from the neighboring teeth.
2. Removable Prostheses
These are prostheses that the patient can put in and take out whenever they wish.
Complete Denture (Full Plate): A full denture supported by the tissues, used when no teeth remain in the mouth.
Partial Denture: A denture held in place with metal clasps or precision attachments (snap-on), used when some natural teeth remain in the mouth but a fixed bridge cannot be made.
3. Implant-Supported Prostheses
These are prostheses made on top of titanium screws (implants) placed in the jawbone. This is the method that offers the highest level of comfort and naturalness. They can be designed as either fixed or removable.
How Should Dental Prostheses Be Cared For?
To extend the life of your prosthesis and protect your oral health, the following rules should be observed:
Daily Cleaning: Removable prostheses should be taken out and rinsed after every meal and cleaned with a soft brush and special denture cleaners. Fixed prostheses should be brushed at least twice a day, just like natural teeth.
Resting at Night: Taking removable prostheses out at night is important to let the gums rest. The removed prosthesis should be kept in a container filled with clean water.
Hard Foods: Avoid biting directly into very hard foods (nuts, etc.) that could damage the prosthesis.
Regular Check-ups: The tissues under the prosthesis may change over time. If the prosthesis becomes loose or starts to rub, you should definitely see your dentist.
Why Should You Get a Dental Prosthesis?
Functionality: You can chew your food better and protect your digestive system.
Speech Problems: Problems such as a whistling "s" sound or a lisp caused by missing teeth are eliminated.
Facial Aesthetics: Missing teeth cause the face to sink in. Prostheses support the facial contours and prevent an aged appearance.
Psychological Comfort: You can smile freely in social life and regain your self-confidence.
The choice of dental prosthesis should be planned by a specialist dentist according to your bone structure, the condition of your remaining teeth and your budget.
Missing Teeth
We may lose the teeth that improve our quality of life in daily living for various reasons. Conditions that can cause us to lose our teeth include:
- Tooth decay left untreated for a long time
- Tooth mobility (loosening)
- Trauma (traffic accidents, sports injuries, violence, …)
- Fractures that cannot be restored
- Bone loss around the tooth due to gum problems
- Infections that do not heal despite root canal treatment and apical resection
What Problems Does Tooth Loss Cause?
- Difficulty eating
- Stomach and digestive disorders due to impaired chewing
- Problems in the jaw joint
- Difficulty pronouncing certain sounds when speaking
- An aged appearance due to loss of support in the cheeks, lips and face as the number of missing teeth increases
- Loss of self-confidence and psychological problems due to the change in appearance
- Tipping (leaning) of the teeth next to the gap towards the empty space
- Over-eruption (elongation) of the tooth opposite the missing tooth
- Decay and gum problems develop in the teeth as oral health deteriorates.
- The bone level decreases in the area of the missing tooth.
What Can Be Done to Replace Missing Teeth?
- Implants
- Fixed Prostheses
- Removable Prostheses
Removable Prostheses
Precision Attachment Dentures
What is a precision attachment denture?
These are dentures produced as an alternative to partial dentures for patients who have many missing teeth and for whom implants are not possible. The clasps that cause aesthetic problems in partial dentures are eliminated by aids called precision attachments. The absence of clasps greatly improves the aesthetics of these dentures and provides a natural appearance.
Is it easy to use?
In precision attachment dentures, the component that supports the denture is located both in the removable part and on the supporting tooth. When the denture is inserted, the two parts lock into each other (snap-on denture). As a result, movement of the denture is minimized compared with partial dentures. Getting used to the denture is much easier.
How long does it last?
It can be used for many years as long as oral hygiene is good and care is taken to clean the denture. Depending on use, the rubber inserts of the precision attachment may loosen, causing the denture to move. Retention is restored by replacing the precision attachment's rubber inserts.
Does anything need to be done to the existing teeth?
Because the precision attachment takes its support from the existing teeth, these teeth must be crowned. However, 4–6 teeth must be present for a precision attachment denture to be made.
Partial Dentures
In patients with many missing teeth, when a fixed prosthesis cannot be made, the missing teeth are replaced with a removable prosthesis. Partial dentures take support from the existing teeth by means of clasps and are generally known as dentures with hooks.
What are the disadvantages of partial dentures?
- Clasps in the visible area have a negative effect on aesthetics.
- In patients with poor oral care who do not take care to clean their denture, decay may develop in the teeth where the clasps sit.
Do clasps cause tooth decay?
In fact, clasps do not cause decay, but in patients who do not take care to clean their denture and teeth, the risk of decay in the teeth with clasps is high. In these patients, the teeth the clasps rest on can be protected with crowns to prevent decay.
Is it difficult to make partial dentures?
The manufacturing process is quite simple. However, since there are a series of try-in stages after the impressions are taken, it requires several appointments with the patient.
Are partial dentures easy to use?
When first made, these dentures, which hold onto the teeth by means of clasps, give the patient a feeling that they are squeezing the teeth. Over time this feeling disappears and patients come to see the dentures as their own teeth. A chewing function as comfortable as with fixed prostheses should not be expected from these dentures.
Can they be used by people with bone loss?
The retention of partial dentures depends on the volume of the bone tissue. Therefore, the greater the bone loss, the greater the likelihood that the denture will move.
Can they be used by patients with allergies?
Partial dentures contain metal and acrylic materials. Allergy tests should be used to determine what the allergy is to. If there is a metal allergy, the denture can be made using a different metal. If there is an acrylic allergy, a partial denture cannot be used. In this case, implants become necessary.
How long do they last?
The lifespan of these dentures increases in proportion to oral care and denture cleaning. Over time the bone may resorb and the surrounding soft tissue may change. As a result, complaints such as the denture becoming loose or coming out of place may arise. This looseness can be corrected with a procedure called relining. If bone loss is very advanced, it is time to renew the denture. Over time, with use, the clasps may break or bend. These can be repaired. If one of the supporting teeth is lost over time, a tooth can be added to the partial denture.
Can partial dentures be made without hooks?
Partial dentures can be made without hooks with the help of auxiliary components called precision attachments.
Fixed Prostheses
What is a fixed prosthesis?
These are prostheses made when one or several teeth are missing, taking support from the existing teeth or implants in the mouth, or to restore teeth that have lost a great deal of healthy tooth tissue. (Crowns, bridges, implant-supported restorations)
In which cases are fixed prostheses made?
- In teeth that have lost a great deal of healthy tooth structure
- To replace missing teeth when one or several teeth are missing
- To change the color of the teeth
- To change the shape of the teeth
- If the teeth have wide and large fillings
- To close the gaps between teeth
- If there is severe wear on the teeth
What are the advantages of fixed prostheses?
- Since the teeth are fixed, there are no drawbacks for the patient such as difficulty adapting to or using them.
- They look more natural and aesthetic than removable prostheses.
- Chewing, speaking and eating functions are restored naturally.
What are the disadvantages of fixed prostheses?
- The teeth to be used as support must be prepared (reduced in size).
- If oral care is poor and regular tartar cleaning is not done, aesthetics deteriorate due to a poor fit between the gums and the prosthesis.
- In prostheses whose fit with the gums has deteriorated, decay and infection develop in the supporting teeth.
- Due to the deteriorated fit with the gums, food gets trapped under the prosthesis and causes bad breath.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between fixed and removable prostheses?
Fixed prostheses are cemented onto teeth or implants by the dentist and cannot be removed by the patient; crowns and bridges belong to this group. Removable prostheses can be taken out and put back in when desired; complete and partial dentures fall into this group.
What is a precision attachment denture?
It is an alternative to partial dentures for patients with many missing teeth who cannot receive implants. Precision attachments replace the clasps that cause aesthetic problems. At least 4-6 teeth are required to make one, and the supporting teeth must be crowned.
Do clasps cause tooth decay?
Clasps do not actually cause decay. However, in patients who do not take care to clean their dentures and teeth, the teeth with clasps are at higher risk of decay. In these patients, the clasped teeth can be protected with crowns.
How long does a partial denture last?
Its lifespan increases in proportion to oral care and denture cleaning. Looseness caused by bone loss over time can be corrected with a procedure called relining; if bone loss is severe, the denture needs renewing. Broken or bent clasps can be repaired.
