Prostheses

No one is protected from tooth loss and deterioration of dental health, many of which are damaged or missing, for a number of reasons:

• a genetic predisposition, such as a weak enamel, a bite at birth, and more

• diseases of the oral cavity

• pregnancy

• lifestyle preferences, such as the desire to open nuts or beer bottles with your teeth, extreme sports or martial arts, etc.

There are many reasons for this problem, but also many solutions to later concerns. The easiest way is to hide your head in the sand and not notice the problem, but as a dentist, I categorically do not recommend doing so! Seriously, in one form or another, if you are missing teeth, you need to use some form of prosthesis. There are a number of different prostheses available that can address a variety of concerns.

Removable prostheses

I believe that for most people, the first thought when hearing the word "prosthesis" is to imagine Grandma's teeth in a glass of water. Yes, it is a removable prosthesis. Acrylic and nylon are mainly used in the manufacture of prostheses. Nylon prostheses are elastic, they are quite easy to break when used, and therefore there are more problems with their use. Acrylic prostheses are less elastic, but they are more comfortable to remember.

There are several ways to attach removable dentures to the gums:

• For complete edentia (no teeth on the jaw), the prosthesis is attached to the chin by suction. This type of confirmation is not completely reliable. More than once, patients have contacted the clinic because their prosthesis has fallen out at the wrong time: laughing, eating with friends or in a similar situation.

• The use of special creams to attach the prosthesis is a fairly unreliable method of attachment, but after wearing the prosthesis all day, the prosthesis still tends to get rid of the gum.

• Prosthesis is used in a situation where some of the patient's teeth are still present and in a good condition. The broom itself is a metal arch on which the prosthesis sits and through which the prosthesis is attached to the supporting teeth. With the help of a swab, it is possible to "restore" not only the teeth next to each other, but also those teeth that are further apart.

• Removable prostheses based on implants. To use this type of prosthesis, it is necessary for the patient to have 2-3 implants. In this case, a removable prosthesis is made, which is attached to the implants. As a result, the prosthesis is firmly attached to the jaw.

Fixed prostheses

Although removable dentures have a number of advantages (particularly their relative cheapness), they also have disadvantages, in particular with regard to wear and tear and additional atrophy of the bone tissue. There are practically no such disadvantages when wearing fixed prostheses. Fixed prostheses can be worn in several cases:

• If the tooth is completely broken, about a third of the tooth is level above the gum, the tooth is not in danger. In this case, it is possible to place the crown directly on the tooth. In principle, the crown acts as a hat (similar to the tooth itself, of course) to be worn on previously sharpened tooth residue. The crown covers the tooth on all sides and extends below the gum.

• If the tooth breaks under the root, it is possible to insert a pin in the root canal, which is attached to the tooth root. A crown is then mounted on top of this pin.

• In the absence of one tooth in a situation where the adjacent teeth are in good condition, it is possible to attach a bridge to three crowns, which closes the gap between the teeth.

• A missing tooth can be replaced with an implant, which in turn can be attached to a crown.

• In the complete absence of teeth, it is possible to implant the chin according to the All-On-4. This means that 4 implants are placed in a special way and the prostheses are attached to the created "chin".

For all prostheses used, crowns of different materials are attached. They can be made of polymeric materials (often as a temporary solution) as well as zirconium as the best solution today.

In summary, we notice that "terrible dental condition" is not a narrative sentence, but rather a reason to start restoring your smile, thereby improving your quality of life.