Non-Implant Missing Tooth Replacement Options
You don’t want to have a dental implant and are looking for an alternative? Oral rehabilitation with dental implants can restore the smile, restoring one or more missing teeth, and is generally accepted as a gold standard for tooth replacement. But unfortunately, this procedure may not be indicated for all cases. Let’s understand some reasons and know the available alternatives.
Types of dentures
A denture is a fixed or mobile prosthetic device used to fill in gaps left by missing teeth. A mobile (removable) denture may also be a better indication for teenagers whose bones are still growing. There are a few types of dental bridges:
Adhesive resin dental prosthesis
This consists of a prosthetic tooth with fins on both sides. The fins are fixed with resin on neighboring teeth, next to the mouth space. This type of bridge does not require the lateral teeth to be prepared or ground, in contrast to a traditional bridge.
Fixed dental prosthesis on teeth
The fixed dental prosthesis is normally composed of three dental elements, the first and the last being supported on teeth and the central element is a pontic, which fills the space left by the absence of a tooth. The fixed prosthesis can be manufactured in computerized pure zirconia, porcelain with a zirconia structure or porcelain with structural metal (ceramic metal). This type of porcelain dental bridge is considered more resistant than resin-bonded adhesive prostheses.
A disadvantage of fixed dental prostheses is that they do not have separation between the teeth and therefore do not allow cleaning with traditional dental floss. Another disadvantage is that the fabrication of the fixed dental prosthesis requires preparation (wearing down) of the lateral abutment teeth to support the bridge. Therefore, in the case of teeth adjacent to the space that are healthy, this prosthesis is generally not used, a conventional dental implant being better indicated, as the dental implant does not interfere with the neighbors.
Dental prosthesis with suspended tooth without support (cantilever)
Sometimes it is possible to make a fixed dental prosthesis for only one tooth, attached to only one neighboring tooth. In this way, the artificial tooth is suspended (pontic) on one side only and uses another natural one as support, that is, the tooth to be replaced will be suspended with support only on one lateral tooth. Making a fixed dental prosthesis on just one tooth requires preparation of the adjacent abutment tooth and attachment of the pontic (suspended) tooth.
This prosthesis solution with a suspended pontic is not well indicated in all cases, as having only one support can force and compromise the supporting tooth. There are two classic indications for this case: Upper central incisor tooth, with suspended lateral incisor / Upper or lower canine tooth, with suspended lateral incisor
Removable partial dentures
Removable dental prosthesis is a resource to compensate for the lack of some teeth, and is also considered a cheaper alternative to dental implants. In this solution, the teeth that will be replaced are affixed to a gum-colored base and then attached to the natural teeth. Fixing the removable dental prosthesis to your mouth can be done using metal clasps or, in the case of a flexible partial denture, there are no metal parts, which makes the prosthesis much more comfortable and aesthetic.
Full Removable Dentures
Full dentures are needed in the event that all teeth are missing and there is not enough bone and gum tissue in the mouth for implants or if implants are too cost-prohibitive for the patient.
Advantages of removable dentures
* More affordable cost than dental implants
* Faster treatment
Disadvantages of removable dentures
* It is not able to halt bone resorption (bone loss) due to the lack of dental roots. In contrast, modern implants play the role of a root and generally preserve bone volume. As a result of bone loss, there is also gingival treatments that you might have to have the longer you wear them.
* The dentures may need to be re-fitted or replaced after a while.
* They tend to shift and move in the mouth.
* They are bulky in the mouth and bother some people.
* Aesthetics are not always ideal with mobile prostheses.