Dentures

General forms of dentures

Basically, there are three different types of dentures. These are broken down as follows:

Fixed dentures

This variant is either completely or partially placed on an existing tooth. Crowns thus replace the damaged part of the tooth or - as a full crown - the complete tooth. As the name already suggests, a fixed denture can no longer be separated from the tooth and thus can no longer be removed from the healthy tooth without the professional help of a dentist.

Removable dentures

If the dentition is still available in sufficient form, specially made prostheses are used for the patient. The attachment takes place on existing teeth or implants. The wearer of the removable denture can remove it at any time, for example, to clean it or replace it with a new model.

Implants

This form of dental prosthesis is completely implanted in the existing jawbone and can not be separated from the dentition without external help. An exception is the telescopic prosthesis, which is removable and anchored securely on the implanted titanium roots in the push-button system in the jaw.

A big advantage of the implants is the exact adaptation to the needs of the patient as well as the appearance, which can be adapted by the different materials very precisely to the wishes and the natural tooth color.

The following sections show some of the common forms of dentures and how they differ.

Dentures in detail, Part 2: Bridges

Basically, teeth that are replaced by a bridge are also crowns. The difference is in the construction: Between two intact teeth, a bridge is stretched to which the crown is attached. The two healthy teeth are practically considered as supporting pillars, which fasten the crown.

Bridges are not limited to a single tooth to be replaced, but can replace multiple teeth. Again, the patient has the choice between different systems and materials:

Inlay bridges:

The bridge is not attached to existing crowns or teeth, but to inlays - ie fillings - adjacent teeth. The advantage is the absence of grinding of the adjacent teeth, since the attachment only takes place on the fillings. The disadvantage, however, is the fact that the fillings can become loose over time. Also, the bridge has no more support and will fall out.

Free-end bridges:

If only a single tooth is missing at the end of a row of teeth, these bridges are ideal. The attachment of the crown then takes place only on the two last still healthy teeth. The disadvantages are the low stability at high pressure and the possibly high load for the two intact support teeth. An implant is often better.

Adhesive bridges:

Compared to fixed bridges, this bridge adheres to the healthy teeth while protecting the teeth, but it lacks stability. They are often used for the front teeth and a grinding of the surrounding teeth is almost completely eliminated. Durability is not overly long at about five years old. Dentists also use bridges in different metals or in full ceramic models.

Costs for dentures

One of the major disadvantages of implants for teeth are the high costs: between 1,800 euros and 3,400 euros are to be estimated per tooth, plus any costs for a bone structure. It is therefore the best way to replace missing teeth. At the same time, however, it is by far the most expensive variant. A dental bridge for the upper jaw, for example, which replaces a single tooth, is much cheaper at a cost of about 500 euros.

Regardless of the dentures used, the health insurance pays half of the so-called standard care. This depends on the findings: If, for example, a tooth is missing and the dentist estimates a cost of 500 euros for the supply of a bridge, the health insurance pays 250 euros. If the patient chooses an implant, the person has to bear these costs himself - minus the mentioned 250 Euro for the standard care. In percentage terms, the savings are thus lower, the more expensive the dentures.