Dental Prosthesis

Prosthesis dental application is the procedure performed in case of tooth loss in our country. At this point, regular oral and dental care cannot prevent some problems from occurring. Intraoral problems, especially those caused by infection and bacteria, can result in tooth loss. Therefore, different treatment practices have emerged in the field of dentistry to protect oral and dental health. These applications include placing prosthetic teeth into the gums.

In recent years, with the development of technological applications in dentistry, prosthetic dental applications have also increased significantly. Prosthetic dental applications offered by specialist doctors can often yield successful results.

Prosthetic teeth are preferred by dentists as a last resort. In order to eliminate complaints about untreatable and constantly recurring dental problems, prosthetic dental treatment methods are planned and implemented gradually. For this reason, prosthetic applications are used for cases where fillings, canals or other treatment methods do not provide any benefit. 

What is a Prosthetic Teeth?

Prosthetic teeth are known as artificial teeth that are frequently used in the oral and dental health discipline and are placed in the mouth to provide function and aesthetics for missing teeth in the mouth. Prosthetic teeth are prepared individually and the oral structures and needs of the patients are taken into consideration during the production phase. In this way, prosthetic teeth are produced and patients’ chewing, speaking and smiling functions are restored.

Prosthetic teeth are generally divided into two: fixed prostheses and removable prostheses. Fixed prostheses are preferred in bridge and implant applications for missing teeth. In addition, removable prostheses are developed so that they can be inserted and removed. In every sense, prosthetic teeth are very helpful in making patients’ lives easier.

How are prosthetic teeth made?

Since prosthetic dental applications have become popular, patients have also been doing research on how prosthetic teeth are made. Prosthetic teeth are mostly produced using porcelain or acrylic materials. Before applying prosthetic teeth, patients must undergo a detailed examination. During this examination, the patients’ sharp bone protrusions, broken tooth roots, palate and tooth parts are examined in detail. In addition, if the dentist deems it necessary during the examination, x-rays are also taken.

One of the most important procedures during denture application is taking accurate measurements of the lower and upper jaw. Exact measurements are taken for the lower and upper jaw, taking into account their connections. This measurement process can usually be easily completed in a single session. After the impression is taken, 3D copies of the teeth are transferred to the model. Experts begin to prepare prosthetic teeth by paying attention to details such as the midline and smile line in the model.

The most important element to consider when modeling teeth is color selection. In order for patients’ dentures to look natural, a natural tooth color must be chosen. In the final stage, a rehearsal is made with the model on the patient and it is checked whether the model is compatible with the patient. After it is determined that there is no problem and the patient’s approval is obtained, the teeth are placed in the mouth area.

What are the Types of Prosthetic Teeth?

Prosthetic dental applications, which have been developed with today’s technology, are now available to patients in a wide range. This situation further strengthens the hands of dentists and offers important options to patients. Here are all the details about the latest technology prosthetic teeth types;

• Fixed Prosthetic Teeth

Fixed dentures are artificial teeth that replace missing teeth and never come out of the mouth area. These prostheses are generally preferred for making bridges to implants and natural teeth. In addition, the relevant prostheses are used by fixing them in the mouth and are considered to be quite long-lasting. Patients cannot use the prostheses by putting them on and taking them off. Although it is generally preferred when a single tooth is missing, it can also be preferred when more than one tooth is missing.

• Removable Prosthetic Teeth

Removable prosthetic teeth, also known as dentures among the public, do not remain mobile in the mouth and can be constantly inserted and removed by patients. These dentures, which people need to clean daily, are preferred to eliminate chewing, speaking and swallowing problems after tooth loss and to give people a more aesthetic appearance. Nowadays, they stand out with both their practicality and affordable prices.

• Total Prostheses

Although total dentures are not applied frequently, they are recommended to patients by many dentists in Turkey. This prosthesis application is applied when people do not have any natural teeth in the mouth. Support is taken from the bone tissue in the jaw area and total dentures are successfully applied into the mouth. Since all teeth must be lost for total dentures, it is an application that is generally needed in later ages.

• Partial Dentures

These are prostheses that are used to replace missing teeth in patients who have not completely lost their natural teeth and have the ability to be removable. They are generally developed with acrylic material and produced on the model in one piece. Dentures applied into the mouth with crochet wire remain firmly in the mouth by clinging to the main teeth. Prostheses that fail in terms of aesthetics are frequently preferred due to their ease of application and durability.

• Immediate Prostheses

Immediate prosthesis options are performed for each tooth extracted from the lower or upper jaw. The feature of this prosthesis is that it is made by the dentist immediately after tooth extraction. At the end of a short procedure, the missing tooth areas of the patients are filled and people never experience toothlessness problems in the extracted area.

• Overdentures

It can be preferred both for all-region tooth loss within the mouth and for single tooth loss. Dentists place dentures in the mouth so that they can attach to natural teeth or tooth roots. Although it is very popular abroad, it is not preferred that often in our country.

• Implant Prostheses

Implant-supported prostheses can be produced to be both mobile and fixed according to the needs and demands of the patient. Removable implant-supported dentures are applied when there are no teeth in the mouth and are generally compared to total dentures. Fixed implant-supported dentures are applied to one or several teeth and are also called porcelain crowns.