Classical prosthetics

Fixed bridge

In the cases where one or more teeth are missing and if there exist teeth on both sides of the gap, one of the options of treatment is the classical fixed prosthetics with the construction of a bridge. In this case the existing teeth before and after the gap are drilled, impressions are taken and the bridge is constructed at the dental technology laboratory, which, after its intraoral tests and the selection of the appropriate color, is permanently adhered on the supporting teeth. The construction materials of a fixed prosthetic restoration vary depending on the requirements and the particularities of each case.

Construction materials of fixed prosthetic restorations

1. The most common construction material of crowns or bridges is porcelain-fused-to-metal, which includes an interior frame of an alloy of biocompatible metals and is externally covered by porcelain in the color of the adjacent teeth. Porcelain is a fully biocompatible material with excellent breaking strength, abrasion resistance, while its color remains unchanged over time.

2. Another construction material of the frame is zirconium (zirconia acid), which is also covered with porcelain, and which is recommended mainly in the restorations of the front teeth. Zirconium is a material of whitish color, of an excellent resistance, equal to the metal, which due to its whitish color satisfies perfectly the aesthetic requirements and has more advantages compared to the metal, which sometimes leads to a grayish zone on the gums over the neck of the tooth.

3. A third construction material of the fixed prosthetic restorations is the all-ceramic porcelain, which depicts perfectly the aesthetics of a natural tooth thanks to its refractivity to light.

Crown (cap)
In case that a tooth has sustained a fracture (crack) or discoloration after an endodontic (root canal) treatment, the construction of a crown is recommended, which practically covers and protects the entire tooth. For the construction of a crown the same procedure that is described in the case of a bridge is followed and the construction materials are similar. The crown is permanently adhered to the prepared teeth and acts like a natural tooth, protecting it against possible cracks and improving its aesthetics.

Removable prosthetic restorations
In the cases where some or all of the teeth of the patient are missing, one treatment option is the construction of a removable prosthetic restoration. The partial dentures (“partial set of artificial teeth”) and the complete dentures (“false teeth”) belong to this category of restorations. In both the above cases the patient must remove his/her restorations before sleep and clean them.

Partial dentures
Partial dentures are removable prosthetic devices that restore the lack of some teeth in the dentition and which rest on the other teeth, as well as on the gums of the patient. These restorations can be easily removed, cleaned and put back in their place by the patient at any time. Their advantage is their easy, fast and low cost construction. At the same time, they can be cleaned by the patient himself/herself and they can be readjusted-corrected by the dentist at any time in the future when a change in the mouth of the patient (e.g. loss of teeth) occurs. Their disadvantages are their reduced aesthetics and retaining compared to a fixed restoration and the problems they often cause to chewing and to the speech of the patient, which will eventually have adverse effects to the self-confidence and the psychology of the patient.

Complete dentures
In the case where all the teeth are missing, one treatment option is the construction of a complete denture (false teeth). It is a removable restoration which rests exclusively on the gums of the patient and is based in the function of a suction cup (the generation of a vacuum between the gums and the denture by the presence of saliva). Its advantage is its easy, fast and low cost construction. At the same time, it can be cleaned by the patient himself/herself and it can be readjusted-corrected by the dentist at any time in the future when a change in the mouth of the patient occurs. Its disadvantages are its reduced aesthetics and retaining compared to a fixed restoration and the problems it often causes to chewing and to the speech of the patient, which will eventually have adverse effects to the self-confidence and the psychology of the patient. In order to relieve the patient from the problems that complete dentures cause it is possible to place 2 implants in the lower jaw or 3-4 in the upper jaw, so that the denture can rest on them and be adequately retained by them, while the patient still has the possibility to remove and clean it.

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Irodotou 12, Kalamata,
Zip code 241 00

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