Prosthetic Dentistry

PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY

Missing teeth, what are your options?

In the past, when we had dental problems and pain, the only option was to extract them. Once teeth were extracted, dentures were used to replace them. Teeth were not deemed essential for the human body to function properly.

Presently, we all know the importance of keeping our teeth longer in order to enjoy good health and live a good quality of life. Who hasn’t already heard a parent or a grandparent say: “I can’t eat this or that anymore… or I’m used to swallowing food without chewing”. Often, people don’t even realise that they don’t chew their food, but have problems with their digestive system. It is crucial to replace any missing teeth in order to avoid the adjacent teeth from shifting and all other problems that will ensue.

Today, several options exist to replace missing teeth and at the Centre dentaire Patricia Skaf, we ensure that you are well informed so that you can make an enlightened decision.

Removable appliances, bridge or dental implant?

Fixed Appliances

Dental Implant

A dental implant is the best solution to many aesthetic and/or functional problems. Thanks to these implants, a person can maintain their facial features, and regain their chewing functionality as well as their beautiful natural smile.

Consult our implantology section to know more about the implant.

Bridge

A bridge is a group of three or more teeth. To replace a missing tooth, the dentist must grind down both adjacent teeth, on each side of the space that needs to be filled. These two teeth becomeanchoring teeth. The bridge covers these two teeth (crown) while replacing the missing tooth, which then becomes the pontic. These three teeth are fused by a metal shell, covered with ceramic, making them invisible. The bridge is fixed in the mouth, and cemented to both anchoring teeth.

Advantages:

• Contrary to the partial, the bridge is fixed in the mouth.
• More delicate, less inhibiting than the partial

Disadvantage:

Requires the use of two healthy teeth (grinding) to create two anchoring teeth

DENTURES

Removable appliances (dentures or partials)

The removable partial denture is attached by hooks on the side of the healthy teeth. It replaces one or two adjacent teeth and can be removed at night and for cleaning.

Advantage:

Affordable

Disadvantages:

The hooks can harm the healthy teeth to which they are attached
Weakened by time
It is recommended to change them every five years

The complete denture removable replaces all natural teeth on the upper and/or lower jawbone and can be removed at night and for cleaning. The artificial teeth are anchored with a mix of acrylic resin and cover the gums and palate.