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Dental Prosthetics

Replacement of missing teeth or enhancement of existing ones using the most modern materials and techniques.

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Dental prosthetics is a field of dentistry that deals with the reconstruction of damaged teeth and the replacement of lost teeth or groups of teeth. Prosthetic restorations can be fixed or removable.

Fixed Prosthetic Restorations

Fixed restorations can be in the form of crowns or bridges. The basic difference is whether they replace one or more teeth. They can also be temporary or permanent and differ according to the material used and the method of attachment – cementing to an existing tooth or attaching to an implant.

Permanent Prosthetic Restorations

The most commonly used fixed restorations are metal-ceramic crowns and bridges. They consist of a metal base over which a layer of ceramic is applied.

Advantages of metal-ceramic restorations:

  • High strength thanks to the metal base
  • Ceramic faithfully imitates the natural color and shape of teeth
  • More affordable compared to other types of restorations

Crowns are an ideal solution for:

  • Reconstruction of teeth with extensive damage
  • Correction of shape, color, size, and position of teeth
  • Preventive protection of endodontically treated teeth

Bridges are used to replace one or more missing teeth and can help with:

  • Replacement of tooth substance due to extensive carious destruction
  • Correction of aesthetic irregularities

Contraindications for metal-ceramic restorations:

  • Incomplete growth of teeth and jaws (up to 18 years of age)
  • Poor oral hygiene
  • Severe systemic diseases

Metal-Free Ceramics (Zirconia)

For many years, scientists worked on developing a material that would replace the metal base. Zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) represents a revolution in dentistry because it meets all aesthetic and functional requirements.

Advantages of metal-free ceramics compared to metal-ceramic restorations:

  • Biocompatibility – Does not cause allergic reactions
  • Absence of bimetallism – Does not create electric currents between different metals in the mouth
  • Exceptional strength – Four times stronger than the metal used in metal-ceramic work
  • Superior aesthetics – No metal showing through on the gums, which prevents their long-term recession

Disadvantages of metal-free ceramics:

  • Higher cost – Approximately 2.5 times higher than metal-ceramic restorations, but justified by numerous advantages.

Temporary Restorations

Temporary dental restorations have several key functions:

  • Tooth protection – After grinding, teeth become sensitive to thermal and mechanical irritations. Temporary restorations protect dental nerves from pain.
  • Aesthetics – Allow patients to feel more comfortable during the period between grinding and cementing the permanent restoration.
  • Gum protection – Reduce inflammation, normalize articulation, and shape the gingiva before placing the permanent restoration.
  • Prevention of tooth movement – When teeth are not in contact, they can tilt and change position, which temporary restoration prevents.

Temporary restorations are most often made of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), which is easy to maintain but less resistant to mechanical forces and can change color, wear out, or deform over time.

Recommendations for using temporary restorations:

  • Avoid hard and sticky foods (candies, nuts, chewing gum) to prevent breakage or detachment.

Removable Prosthetic Restorations

Removable restorations are dentures that the patient puts in and removes from the mouth for hygiene maintenance. They are made of acrylate and contain artificial acrylate teeth.

Dentures enable:

  • Maintenance of proper bite
  • Prevention of temporomandibular joint diseases
  • Preservation of natural facial appearance
  • Normal speech, chewing, and swallowing

Types of Removable Restorations

Complete Dentures

A complete denture is a solution when there are no teeth left in the jaw. It is made of acrylate and placed over the gums, upper and lower jawbone, significantly improving the patient's quality of life.

Partial Dentures

When a larger number of teeth are missing and bridge construction is not possible, a partial denture is used. It is secured using metal attachments that hook onto the remaining teeth. Although stable, aesthetic results are not ideal, so it is used as a compromise functional solution.