Do Nothing:
- Sometimes the right decision is not to replace a missing tooth.
- A back molar with difficult access
- Wisdom teeth
- When the patient has medical or financial concerns
Removable Appliances:
- A cast partial denture is an appliance that combines a metal framework with acrylic denture teeth to replace missing teeth.
- The metal framework clips onto the remaining teeth for retention.
- An acrylic partial denture or flipper partial does not have a metal framework
- They are most often used as a temporary measure.
- A complete denture is entirely acrylic and rests on the gum tissue for support.
- The retention for a complete denture comes from the shape of the residual bony ridge.
Fixed Bridges:
- A fixed bridge requires teeth on either side of the space.
- The neighbouring teeth are prepared for crowns and then the bridge is fabricated to join the crowns together with a solid tooth in the middle and it is cemented into place.
- Fixed bridges used to be the only option for a fixed solution to replace missing teeth before the introduction of implants.
- Fixed bridges can look very esthetic.
Implant Supported Restorations:
- Implants are artificial titanium roots that are implanted into the jaw bone.
- Implants can be used to support:
- single crowns
- bridges
- partial dentures
- fixed dentures
- removable dentures
- Advantages of implants are that they do not decay, fracture or become sensitive like natural teeth.
- Another major advantage is that the adjacent teeth are not compromised with a dental implant as is the case with both partial dentures and fixed bridges.