Artificial Teeth / Tooth:Partial denture: Facts, Types, Fabrication

A missing tooth/teeth in mouth can be an issue of trouble when it comes to chewing and biting and when its a front tooth, facial appearance may get hamper. So, artificial teeth / tooth aka partial denture are used to restore the missing functions.

Types

Artificial teeth / partial denture are of fixed and removable types.

Fixed Partial denture / artificial teeth

Artificial teeth/tooth can be fixed in mouth in 2 ways:

1. By Bridge fabrication: In this technique, artificial tooth is adjoined with crowns on both sides. These kind of teeth are called Bridges. These crowns fit over the teeth adjacent to missing tooth space and the artificial tooth strongly hangs in between.

Through this, the artificial tooth gets supported from teeth of both sides.

2. By Dental Implants:

Implant is the latest way to get a fixed tooth and is gaining popularity day by day.

Artificial teeth made by the use of implants truely duplicates a natural teeth. Instead of hanging with the support of adjacent teeth, implants are directly embedded in jaw bone within the missing tooth area, just like a natural teeth is socketed into the jaw bone.

Types of fixed artificial teeth

 It can be metallic or tooth coloured.

Procedure

• It is similar to the procedure to make crown. Teeth adjacent to missing tooth/teeth space are designed accordingly, after which the artificial tooth is prepared over the model of tooth.
• Finally, it is fixed in mouth.

Prerequisites

Supporting teeth should be strong enough to hold artificial tooth in between and should not be loose and compromised.

Post Treatment Care 

• It may take a few days to get adapted to the new artificial tooth, so patience is must till then.
• Like natural teeth, hygiene must be maintained around natural teeth too.

Removable Partial denture / artificial teeth

When fixed teeth cannot be made in a patient, removable teeth becomes the choice. They consist of an acrylic or metal plate, over which the teeth are mounted. This plate keeps the teeth retained in mouth.

Indications to use removable artificial teeth / tooth

• Teeth adjacent to missing teeth/tooth space may not be strong enough to give support required for Bridge fabrication.
• Cost : removable teeth cost much lower than that of fixed ones. This may affect the choice of patient.
• Medical Debility: Placement of Implants are avoided in Medically compromised patients like diabetics, as it involves a surgical intervention.

Post treatment care

•  Removable artificial teeth should cleaned daily, so as to maintain oral hygiene.
• It may take a few days to get adapted to the new artificial tooth, so patience is must till then.
• Like natural teeth, hygiene must be maintained around natural teeth too.

Any questions or suggestions? Feel free to comment!