The removable dental prosthesis is a fairly traditional dental replacement technique, although it is still widely used in dental practices. While the fixed prosthesis can only be removed by a dental specialist, the removable prosthesis can be removed from the mouth by the patient himself.
Since the patient must put it in and take it out at least every night, the design of the removable prosthesis must be adapted to maximize retention, function and esthetics according to the physiology and mastication of each patient. This prosthesis is also characterized by being able to replace the entire dental arch and, obviously, specific sectors of the mouth.
Types of removable prosthesis
The removable prosthesis varies its function and composition according to the characteristics of the patient’s mouth, so it is classified into three types:
- Dentosupported prosthesis: it is supported on the teeth.
- Dentomucosal-supported prosthesis: it is supported both on the tooth and on the buccal mucosa. It is used when a tooth is missing.
- Mucosal-supported prosthesis: rests exclusively on the mucosa. It is used in the most extreme case, when all the teeth are missing.
Removable dental prosthesis materials
Given that the dental tissue is very hard but the gums are very sensitive and that the prosthesis is usually in contact with both, it is normally made of a mixture of metal and resin.
The appliance that holds it is usually made with a fusion of chromium and cobalt and without welding to have maximum hardness. Two retainers or “clasps” come out of it, which adapt to the teeth and hold the prosthesis.
Where the prosthetic pieces are placed, which are made of white or light-colored resin, the metal is coated with pink resin to simulate the color of the mucosa. In fact, the entire buccal mucosa where the prosthetic pieces are located must have contact only with the resin, due to its sensitivity.
Use of removable prostheses in dental practices
Although the removable dental prosthesis is not particularly new, its use in dental practices is still in force. Whether for budgetary reasons or due to the patient’s own will, the removable prosthesis continues to be a useful option for dental replacement.
Moreover, more advanced technologies, such as implants, have been unified with the techniques of the removable prosthesis, but have by no means replaced it.
In fact, one should be wary of clinics that only offer implants, as it is a more expensive process than removable prosthetics. This may mean that the center is more interested in the patient paying than in the ethics of the profession. Thus, there is no reason not to offer the removable prosthesis.
Technological advances in removable prosthetics
Although, as mentioned above, the removable prosthesis is not the newest technique, work continues on advances related to it. Better and better quality teeth are being manufactured, some with high ceramic content, which improves their hardness and esthetics, or with resins that increasingly protect the mouth from bacteria and keep it cleaner.
The field of dental adhesives is also a field that continues to advance, providing patients with more security and retention for specific situations.