Types of Dental Prosthesis Devices: Crowns, Bridges, Dentures, Partials, and Implants

Dental prosthesis devices replace or repair missing or damaged teeth. They can do much more than improve your smile. A missing tooth can affect your ability to chew and raise your risk of gum disease. A missing tooth can also affect the bone health of the jaw and put other teeth at risk. There are several types of dental appliances, such as crowns and implants, and removable devices, including full or partial dentures, which can be taken out as needed. If you have missing or damaged teeth, Dr. Ellzey will review with you all of these options to determine the best option for your dental needs and the best fit for your budget.

Getting a dental prosthesis device can be a life-changing decision and modern dentistry offers several excellent options. A dental prosthesis can improve your smile and how you feel about your appearance, improve your oral health, and avoid problems related to nutrition, digestion, gum disease, and the loss of jawbone material.

Other symptoms that should prompt a conversation with a dentist about prosthetic solutions include:

• a cracked, chipped, or worn tooth

• bleeding or sore gums

• tooth sensitivity or pain

• anything about the color or appearance of your teeth that bothers you

Crowns

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is placed over a tooth to cover the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and improve its appearance. Crowns, when cemented into place, fully encase the entire visible portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line. A crown may be made of metal or porcelain. Crowns tend to be good long-term solutions for teeth that have been chipped, cracked, worn down, or to restore the tooth after a root canal and provide the opportunity to preserve the tooth by removing decay, building up the tooth, and providing a cover to preserve the remaining tooth structure.

Getting a crown requires two (2) appointments. The first and longer appointment is the “crown prep” appointment. At this appointment, a dentist removes any tooth decay and repairs any tooth damage in order to prepare the tooth for the permanent crown. A mold of the tooth will be made and will be sent to an outside dental laboratory to prepare the permanent crown. A temporary crown will also be made to cover the tooth until the permanent crown is put in place a couple of weeks later at the short, second appointment.

Crowns are considered a relatively permanent solution. Once a crown is in place, it should last 5 to 15 years or even longer if maintained properly. Once placed, home dental hygiene for crowns is the same as any natural teeth.

A crown can crack or chip over time, or the cement holding it in place can soften. This can allow bacteria to move in and infect the tooth. If a crown comes off the tooth, the patient should schedule a dental appointment as soon as possible while preserving the crown so that it can be re-inserted.

Bridges

When one or more teeth are missing, a dental bridge is a compromise between dentures and implants. As the name implies, a dental bridge is meant to bridge a gap left by missing teeth. A bridge is usually anchored to natural teeth at both ends of the gap and may be made of one or more false teeth called pontics. In some cases, a bridge may be attached to an implant for greater security and stability. A bridge is often made of porcelain to look like natural teeth and must be brushed and flossed regularly.

Like crowns, the typical process for getting a bridge involves two (2) appointments: a “bridge prep” appointment and a second appointment to place the bridge in the patient’s mouth.

1. At the first appointment, the anchor teeth on either side of the bridge are filed into shape and a mold is made of the mouth. A temporary bridge may be made to fill in the gap while a permanent one is made within a couple of weeks.

2. At the second appointment, the permanent bridge is fitted into place. Any necessary minor adjustments are made so that the bridge looks natural and works with the patient’s natural bite. The bridge is then cemented into place.

A bridge can last for decades, but 5 to 15 years is a reasonable expectation provided the patient adheres to proper care of this prosthetic device.

Dentures and Partials

The extent of tooth loss and the patient’s preference will help determine what kind of dentures are best. The most common type of denture is a “traditional” denture which replaces all the upper and/or lower teeth and must be removed daily for cleaning. These prosthetic devices fit snugly against the gums and look and function as natural teeth and are commonly referred to as false teeth. There are also removable partial dentures that replace some, but not all of the teeth.

In addition to “traditional” prosthetic devices, there are several types of implant prostheses such as implant-supported/retained dentures or implant bridges that replace all or some missing teeth.

A dental prosthetic is useful in providing several benefits, including:

• Improving the appearance of your teeth, boosting confidence and self-esteem

• Improving your ability to chew, allowing you to consume a healthy diet

• Supporting the health and strength of the jawbone, supporting the strength of other teeth

• Protecting against gum disease that can lead to serious health problems

Implants

An option that has become increasingly popular to replace a missing tooth or multiple missing teeth are dental implants. Implants can be for a single tooth replacement/crown, implant-supported bridge, or denture. This type of prosthesis involves the placement of implant screws into the jawbone via a surgical procedure by an oral surgeon and held in place as new bone material forms around it. Please see the article entitled “Pros and Cons of Dental Implants and Traditional Bridges” for more detail on Dental Implants.

After the implant surgery healing time is completed, the patient returns to the general dentist for the restorative phase, i.e., placement of the implant crown, bridge, or denture. While implants are becoming more widely used with new advanced techniques and materials, they can have issues such as screw loosening, cement failure, fractured porcelain, and complications in the soft tissue or bone around the implant resulting in implant rejection.

The decision to choose implants or traditional crowns, bridges, or dentures may come down to cost and whether there is enough jawbone in which to place an implant. Dr. Ellzey can review with the patient all the pros and cons of implants vs. traditional prostheses to help the patient determine the best path. If the patient decides to move forward with implants, Dr. Ellzey will refer the patient to an oral surgeon of their choice. The procedures necessary to complete the process will be coordinated between the oral surgeon and Dr. Ellzey, the general dentist.

If you have just lost a tooth or have had a missing tooth for some time, a dentist should be consulted as soon as possible. A missing tooth can contribute to surrounding bone loss and raise the risk of gum disease. Both can affect your overall oral health. The longer you wait, the more extensive and irreversible the damage can be.

The information in this article is provided by the office of Dr. Paul D Ellzey, DDS; contact our office at 334-358-4252 to schedule an appointment.