Treatment: Prosthodontics

Prosthodontics

As the name suggests this branch deals with dental prosthesis or artificial teeth

There are many reasons why it’s important to replace the teeth that are lost:

When teeth are lost, the area of the jawbone that held those teeth starts to erode. Over time, one can lose so much bone that the jaw may not be able to support an implant or a denture that fits properly.

It affects how well one can chew and what foods one can eat. Many people who have missing teeth have poor nutrition, which can affect overall health.

If only a few teeth are lost, they can be replaced by

• Removable partial denture, which can be made in acrylic or metal;
• Fixed partial denture, which is usually made in metal- ceramic;
• Implant supported crowns or bridge.

If all the teeth are lost, they can be replaced by

• Traditional dentures or
• Implant supprted dentures (removable)
• Implant Supported fixed dentures or ceramic teeth

Dental Bridges

A dental bridge is one method to replace a missing tooth (or teeth). Dental bridge is a custom-made false tooth or teeth, that is permanently placed between two healthy teeth, filling in the area left by a missing tooth or teeth. The bridge is held in place by crowns placed on the healthy teeth on each side of space to be filled.

Benefits –

• Restores the smile
• Restores the ability to properly chew and speak
• Maintains the shape of one’s face
• Distributes the forces in the bite properly by replacing missing teeth
• Prevents remaining teeth from drifting out of position

Types of Dental Bridges

Traditional bridges

Traditional bridges involve creating a crown for the tooth or implant on either side of the missing tooth, with a pontic(replacement tooth) in between. Traditional bridges are the most common type of bridge.

There are three basic types of materials for dental bridges:

1. Porcelain fused to metal dental bridges
2. All porcelain dental bridges
3. All metal dental bridges

 

The all porcelain dental bridges and porcelain fused to metal (PFM) dental bridges are tooth colored bridges. PFM dental bridges are usually used to restore back teeth(molars), where the forces of chewing and grinding are strongest. All porcelain dental bridges are the most aesthetic and also can be used in all areas .

Crowns

These are Covers which cover the entire tooth that is visible in the mouth. These are especially used for the teeth with wide gaps or extremely small teeth. Crowns are also made routinely for the teeth that are treated with root canal therapy or are broken.

This needs reduction of the natural tooth from all sides to accommodate the crown. One may experience sensitivity while reduction of the crown which can be easily relieved by local anesthesia.

Crowns are made of –

Metal alloys – These are not desirable for front teeth as it has metallic appearance. However they are durable and are relatively inexpensive.

Metal with porcelain(PFM) – These are metal crowns which are completely covered with porcelain of the best cosmetic shade. These are cosmetically well accepted and durable. These are now routinely made by CAD/CAM or by Laser Sintering for precise fit.

Metal free ceramic – These crowns are have tooth coloured allumium or zirconium oxide as their inner core. Therefore these are the best options when cosmetics are concerned. We are using them as first priority, especially when the teeth are vital (not treated with RCT).

Complete Dentures

If one has lost all of your natural teeth, whether from periodontal disease, tooth decay or injury, complete dentures can replace the missing teeth and one’s smile. Replacing missing teeth will benefit one’s appearance and health. Without support from the denture, facial muscles sag, making a person look older. You’ll be able to eat and speak, things that people often take for granted until their natural teeth are lost.

The Dentures are made individually for each patient. The patient hence has to report to the clinic at least for 4 to 5 times for the complete procedure over 2 weeks’ time.

Once the dentures are placed, the patient will need time to adjust to the new teeth. While patients can speak normally within a few hours, they may experience minor discomfort when eating or chewing. This discomfort may last from several days to a few weeks until the muscles of your cheek and tongue learn to keep them in place and one get comfortable inserting and removing them. It is recommended that patients with new dentures eat soft foods until they become comfortable with chewing.

Care for Dentures

1.  Dentures should be removed at night to give the gums a rest and to reduce the pressure on the underlying bone or as directed by your dentist
2. Regular denture care includes brushing your denture with a denture brush and a denture paste after eating. Dentures can collect plaque and food stains
3. Keep your dentures in water to avoid drying out and distorting.
4. Dentures can and may break if dropped onto a hard surface, thus becareful when handling them.
5. Clean and massage your gums and tongue with a soft toothbrush to help keep them healthy.

Overdentures/
Implant Dentures

Implants are inserted in the jawbones at strategic locations. These carry a round attachment over them or a bar, which locks the dentures from beneath. These need two to four implants in either jaw for efficient working.