What are fixed dental prostheses
The purpose of dental prostheses is to rehabilitate the function of teeth in patients with partial or total edentulism (lack of teeth). Dentures can be mobile or fixed. In our case, we speak of fixed dental prostheses to indicate those artificial elements implanted inside the patient’s oral cavity in a stable and permanent manner. Fixed dental prostheses can be applied using different techniques.
Dental bridge
If a tooth is lost or irreparably damaged by caries or trauma, it can be replaced with a dental bridge using the two neighbouring teeth as supports.
The two neighbouring teeth, called abutments, have to be filed down and reduced in volume in order to create space for the capsules to which the crown is attached to be placed and fixed. The length of the bridge can vary depending on the number of teeth to be replaced.
Unfortunately, in order to use a dental bridge it may be necessary to file down healthy teeth, which is a major disadvantage. In this case, a dental implant may be the most effective solution. If the teeth to be filed down are damaged or have fillings, a dental bridge may be the best solution.
Fixed dental prostheses on implants
If the adjacent teeth to the missing one are healthy, we can avoid filing them down by using dental implants. In this case, the crown is fixed on an artificial root inserted directly into the jawbone, rather than on the natural teeth. If several consecutive teeth are missing, a bridge fixed directly onto the implants can be used.
Implants and bridges are two completely different treatments, and the differences are considerable: in the first case, an external element is inserted into the human body, which over time becomes an integral part of it; in the case of the traditional bridge, on the other hand, the prostheses are fixed on the natural teeth. These two solutions must be chosen according to the needs and characteristics of the patient.
Materials for fixed dental prostheses
Prosthetic crowns can be made from different materials. Ceramic is one of the most suitable because it is extremely biocompatible and ensures a high aesthetic effect; dentures made of ceramic look very similar to natural teeth.
Zirconium-ceramic dentures provide even better aesthetics and greater strength, as zirconium is a very solid material. In addition, its translucency makes it look very similar to natural teeth.