Missing teeth (single, many or all natural teeth) can be replaced by acrylic dentures. For small numbers of spaces, these are only really acceptable for temporary periods of a few months, unless the remaining teeth are not expected to last many years. They tend to damage the support for the remaining teeth in a variety of ways. However, they are by far the cheapest way of replacing missing teeth.
Chrome-cobalt partial dentures are supported on the remaining natural teeth. They are more accurate than acrylic dentures, closer fitting.
Full mouth dentures range from simple and serviceable right up to the other end which is a denture with superbly natural looking teeth and careful tinted gum to match it closely to the patient's natural gum tissue and shape. Such a denture can be almost indistinguishable from natural teeth.
Bridges. Spaces left by missing teeth can create three-fold problems; poor appearance and reduced function tilting of the teeth either side with reduced function.
Chrome-cobalt partial dentures are supported on the remaining natural teeth. They are more accurate than acrylic dentures, closer fitting.
Full mouth dentures range from simple and serviceable right up to the other end which is a denture with superbly natural looking teeth and careful tinted gum to match it closely to the patient's natural gum tissue and shape. Such a denture can be almost indistinguishable from natural teeth.
Bridges. Spaces left by missing teeth can create three-fold problems; poor appearance and reduced function tilting of the teeth either side with reduced function.
There are several types of bridges - the most usual is of a tooth either side of the space having a 'crown' preparation - the laboratory makes three crowns, one for each tooth and one to fit in between - all are united and made to look like natural teeth. The effect of removing the outsides of these teeth are far outweighed by the advantages of having the space filled. see "crowns and bridges". The absence of a tooth in a visible area of the mouth shows often as a sudden dark area with the reflective line of whiteness of the tooth either side of it. The corresponding tooth on the other arch has nothing to bite on now. So if the total number of teeth before a single tooth loss was 28, the eating pattern suffers the loss of not one but two eating teeth, that's about 7% less. That means the remaining teeth have to work 9% harder. If another tooth is lost (not the one opposing the first) the eating pattern has a function loss of 14%, with the rest now having to work 19% harder. The remaining teeth then have increasingly less chance of surviving throughout life.
Spaces in the mouth