Dental prostheses are used when several teeth are missing in the maxilla or mandible, but also in the case of complete toothlessness. It happens that, despite all efforts, artificial teeth are a must. Before you decide on a denture, learn about the possibilities offered by prosthetics. There are several options, but the type of prosthesis you choose depends on the number of your own teeth and the size of your wallet. Check what are the differences between fixed and removable dentures.

Dental prosthesesare used when several teeth are missing in the maxilla or mandible, but also in the case of complete toothlessness. Modern technologies make it difficult to distinguish artificial teeth or jaws from natural teeth. Any missing teeth should be replaced because it causes various disorders. The teeth adjacent to the gap begin to move, and the opposing teeth to move out. Individual teeth may be overloaded and loosened, bite disorders, and the functioning of the mandibular joints may be disturbed. Loose teeth are more susceptible to periodontal diseases, they are more easily damaged and may fall out. An incomplete bite, apart from speech impediments, results in inaccurate grinding of the food, which may cause digestive disorders.

Permanent prosthetic restorations: crown inlays, implants, veneers

The simplest restoration is crown inlays (tooth crowns), which recreate the crown part of the tooth and, in certain situations, can replace a traditional filling. The color and shape of the tooth are improved by the veneers. These thin overlays glued to its outer surface are also a kind of permanent prosthesis. Another type of it is a crown mounted on a ground tooth or a crown-root inlay.

A fixed denture is also a prosthetic bridge that can replace one or more teeth. Your own teeth perform the function of the pillars of the bridge. Recently, bridges based on implants have been made more and more often. They make it possible to replace even many teeth, but they are expensive. That is why, with significant missing teeth, many people choose cheaper, traditional prosthetic solutions.

Types of removable dentures: partial removable dentures

The dentures can be partial or complete. In the case of cavities covering several teeth, it is possible to create a partial denture - skeletal or overlay.

Skeletal denturesare based on your own teeth, thankswhy they do not settle down and the transmission of chewing forces is close to physiological. In addition, they are more stable, easier to maintain hygiene, and pose a lower risk of periodontal disease. They have a durable, metal construction, they are more delicate, thinner and easier to get used to.

The most common elements that allow them to be attached are metal clamps, but it is possible to use special invisible latches and locks. This solution is more expensive because it is necessary to put the crowns on some of your own teeth (one part of the bracket is in the denture, the other in the crown).

According to the report "9 million reasons - users of dentures in Poland", as many as 9 million Poles wear dentures. Every second Pole over 40 already has it. Research shows that prosthesis users are mostly women (79%) and people with secondary and higher education (73%).

The third, less common type of removable dentures are overdentures of the overdenture type, i.e. based on the roots of the teeth provided with various types of attachments. They are used in the residual dentition, when the tooth roots are too weak or too few of them to be the pillars of the bridge. Special latches are installed on them, which fix the movable denture recreating the entire dental arch.

The advantage of frame and overlay dentures is their stability and the fact that they allow the use of the patient's teeth and roots (or implants), which means that the forces generated during chewing are transferred to the bones of the jaws in a physiological manner, similarly as with natural dentition.

Types of removable dentures: complete removable dentures

In the case of toothlessness (when the patient does not have a single tooth left in the maxilla or mandible), acryliccomplete dentures(the so-calledartificial jaw). At first, the feeling of a foreign body in your mouth is disturbing, and you may have problems biting, chewing, and speaking clearly. The prosthesis is not always stable (while the upper ones stick well, while the lower ones are not very stable), it can move, rub the gums and the palate. In this case, it is worth buying a denture fixing cream in a pharmacy, which will securely fix the denture without allowing it to move. Creams, bedding, and fixing powders also prevent food particles from getting under the denture.

Dental prostheses can be partial or complete, removable or stabilized on implants, skeletal or add-on.

It takes a little patience to get used to the prosthesis. It should be used every day for it to settle down andshe stopped disturbing. When eating, occlusal forces are transferred to the gum, not directly to the bone, which reduces the chewing force and accelerates the disappearance of the maxillary and mandibular alveolar processes. As a result, the prosthesis settles and corrections are necessary in order to adjust it, so you should regularly make an appointment with a prosthetist to verify the right time for replacement of the prosthesis.

A modern version of a complete denture is a prosthesis stabilized on implants - fixed or fixed. In order to install a removable denture in the mandible, you need to place at least two implants, and in a removable denture in the maxilla - four. The prosthesis is attached to the implants with special connectors. Complete dentures can also be fixed on implants permanently, but for this it is necessary to insert four implants in the maxilla and six in the mandible. The advantage of full dentures stabilized on implants is that the user can safely eat even hard foods. It is also important that the implants prevent bone loss by providing them with stimuli while chewing.

How to get used to the use of dentures?

The first removable denture is not easy to accept. This is due to the feeling of a foreign body in the mouth, problems with speaking and chewing. These problems are easier to deal with if we have a positive attitude to using an artificial jaw. Speaking difficulties will help us quickly overcome the simple exercises of slowly and clearly articulating words during conversation, reading aloud. We may have trouble biting and chewing food a little longer.

Therefore, after receiving the first removable denture, divide the food into small bites, avoid hard foods. Food should be chewed on both sides. Biting with one side will cause the dentures to tilt. After some time, chewing food will not be difficult, because the prosthesis will settle in the mouth and will no longer be disturbing. But for that to happen, we have to wear it. We will never accept a prosthesis if we wear it occasionally. Prosthetic treatment does not end after receiving the prosthesis. Follow-up visits are needed: the first after 24-48 hours for the dentist to make a correction, and the second after a week or two.

Take care of the hygiene of new teeth

The great advantage of a dental prosthesis is that it will not be attacked by decay. It does not mean, however, that its holder is exempt from care for hygiene. Particular care is required for dentures, because food remains between the dentures and the palate and gums can stick, and they are also an excellent breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. Moreover, on the denture, as well as on the teeth,plaque is deposited, creating conditions for the development of these pathogenic microorganisms.

When you have a removable prosthesis, the goal of hygienic procedures is to prevent inflammation and fungal infections. Clean your dentures thoroughly after each meal - preferably with a double-sided denture brush that reaches even hard-to-reach places. Use a special antibacterial toothpaste for dentures, and then rinse the dentures under a stream of warm, but not hot, water. Brush all surfaces of the denture, especially those that are in contact with the mucosa. Do not use traditional toothpaste, as it contains abrasive substances that can scratch the surface of the prosthesis, which results in a faster formation of a deposit on it, e.g. from coffee or tea.

Take the denture off at night, because 24/7 use favors the faster formation of bacterial deposits on its surface. Store the cleaned and thoroughly dried denture in an airtight, dry box. Keeping it in a glass of water is not recommended, as it promotes the growth of bacteria and fungi that penetrate easily, especially into acrylic dentures with a porous structure.

Disinfect the denture in a solution with bactericidal and antiseptic properties - e.g. using active cleaning tablets. They remove difficult deposits, reduce 99.99% of bacteria and eliminate unpleasant odors. It is also necessary after any infection within the oral cavity (aphthae, herpes labialis, sinusitis, angina); then denture cleaning brushes should be replaced to avoid re-infection.

Take care of your oral hygiene. Clean your tongue once a day with a special brush, use mouthwashes or herbal infusions with an antiseptic and soothing effect (chamomile, oak bark, sage). Massage your gums with a soft brush to stimulate blood circulation. Lubricate irritated gums with a soothing and regenerating gel with soothing and anti-inflammatory properties.

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Dentistry and Orthodontics