Types of Dental Prostheses

Fixed Prostheses

These are prostheses permanently bonded onto the teeth and cannot be removed by the patient.

Advantages:

• More aesthetic and comfortable than removable prostheses
• Provide better chewing performance
• Do not include extensions covering the palate or tongue area

Disadvantages:

• Teeth must be prepared (reduced/shaped)
• There is a risk of decay in cases of gum recession or leakage beneath the prosthesis
• Bad odor may occur over time if oral hygiene is neglected

Crown Prosthesis (Dental Crown) Applications

Crown prostheses are restorations used to protect and strengthen single teeth with substance loss or aesthetic problems.
The restorations prepared for the tooth are fitted and permanently cemented.

In Which Cases Are Crown Prostheses Applied?

• Teeth with excessive substance loss and shape deformities
• Discoloration that cannot be corrected with whitening
• Shape abnormalities
• Weak root canal–treated teeth
• Implant-supported restorations

Types

• Partial Crown Prostheses: Applied only to the front surface or several surfaces of the tooth with minimal tooth reduction. (Laminate veneer crowns and sectional crown prostheses)

• Metal-Ceramic Crown Prostheses: Prepared by applying aesthetic porcelain over a metal substructure.

• Full Ceramic Crown Prostheses: Do not contain a metal substructure; they are made entirely of ceramic and provide high aesthetics. (Zirconia crowns and E.max crowns)

• Telescopic Crown Prostheses: Used in overdenture prostheses and precision-retained prostheses with telescopic systems fitted over the teeth.

Bridge Prostheses

These are fixed prostheses used to replace one or more missing teeth by utilizing adjacent teeth as support.
Bridge prostheses can be applied when the supporting teeth are strong enough to bear the load. They may be fabricated from metal-supported porcelain, zirconia, or aesthetic full-ceramic materials. The location and length of the missing tooth area determine the material selection.

Adhesive Maryland Bridges are an alternative solution for single tooth loss. They are made from full-ceramic materials and permanently bonded to the teeth. They are generally used for front teeth. Instead of fully reducing adjacent teeth, small wings are bonded only to their back surfaces.

Inlay – Onlay – Overlay Restorations

When there is extensive tooth substance loss, missing tissues are restored with ceramic fillings prepared in the laboratory.
Depending on the amount of substance loss and the area covered by the restoration, they are called inlay, onlay, or overlay restorations. These methods preserve the natural tooth structure to the maximum extent and provide a long-lasting restoration.