Fixed dental prostheses are those that cannot be removed by the patient. That is, they must be removed by a dentist in case they want to be removed.
The fixed dental prosthesis is an appliance made to fit the patient’s mouth. It replaces the form, function and esthetics of teeth that have been lost or damaged for whatever reason (periodontitis, caries, dental fractures, etc.).
Fixed prostheses can be placed on the patient’s natural teeth, in the event that these are damaged, or on dental implants if there are no teeth.
Within fixed dental prostheses, we can distinguish:
Crowns. These are dental restorations that cover the entire surface of the tooth. Made of porcelain fused to metal, zirconia or all-ceramic (porcelain), crowns are cemented onto a prepared tooth.
Tooth destruction is much greater. Nowadays, whenever possible, we do much more conservative treatments such as inlays or veneers.
Fixed tooth-supported bridges. These prostheses are placed over the attached teeth previously ground. They are fabricated by taking impressions of the rest of the teeth to make them mimic in size and color.
Crowns can be made of metal-ceramic or zirconium. The latter offer several advantages, such as greater biocompatibility.
Implant-supported or implant-supported fixed prostheses. They consist of a prosthetic structure fixed by screws or cemented on implants that have been previously placed inside the maxillary bones to recover the functionality and esthetics of the entire arch.
Hybrid prostheses on implants are recommended for patients with considerable bone resorption. Hybrid prostheses are manufactured using acrylic materials.
Advantages of fixed dental prostheses
Compared to removable dental prostheses, fixed prostheses offer:
- More comfort. You don’t have to remove them after every meal to clean them
- More support. They do not move when speaking or eating, which provides greater security to the patient
- Great naturalness. Imitates perfectly to the rest of the dentition so it integrates very well.