Prosthetic dentistry

Prosthetic dentistry is the area of dentistry that focuses on dental prostheses, that is lost or damaged teeth are restored using suitable substitutes, such as dental implants, crowns, bridges or veneers. The primary goal here is to fully restore the function of chewing.

Dental prosthetics comprises the following:

• restoration of lost teeth;
• restoration of chipped or broken teeth;
• strengthening of weak, frail or dead teeth;
• improvement of the aesthetic tooth appearance. Read more about cosmetic dentistry HERE

Recently the term tooth restoration has become much more popular than dental prosthetics or dental prostheses, which still might be associated with teeth floating in a glass of water. Lost teeth these days can be replaced by permanent, durable, comfortable and beautiful artificial teeth. Moreover, the chewing function is restored to 100 %. Thus, it is possible to enjoy food again and smile from ear to ear.

Why is it important to restore lost teeth?

A tooth is a crucial part of our body no matter how small it is. If a person loses a tooth, he or she can encounter various health problems, such as:

• it becomes difficult to bite or chew food and, as a result, some favourite dishes tend to be avoided;
• persistent discomfort is felt because of food particles stuck in the sites of missing teeth;
• improperly chewed food may cause digestion problems;
• with time, the person’s appearance changes – the face looks much older;
• possible bone loss
• the loss of teeth can cause speaking problems;
• people stop smiling, feel self-conscious while talking to others;
• the teeth nearby the missing tooth move towards the gap, a malocclusion develops. Consequently, some teeth undergo more strain and wear off more quickly, which can subsequently result in tooth loss. Besides, spaces between such uneven teeth are difficult to reach to brush, so the risk of caries increases.

• if a lot of time has passed since the tooth was lost, orthodontic treatment may be necessary first, that is you may be asked to have your teeth straightened with the help of brackets prior to implantation, which will make the treatment significantly longer and more expensive.

Using the immediate implantation method, a fully functioning naturally-looking temporary tooth will be made during the first visit at the clinic. You will walk out being able to eat, drink and smile.

E.g., having lost a tooth, the adjacent teeth move towards the gap

What are available prosthodontic  tooth restoration methods?

Teeth can be restored by using two types of dental prosthetic appliances: removable and non-removable.

Non-removable appliances include:

• Dental prostheses fixed on implants. Read more about dental implantation HERE;
• Crowns (all-ceramic , zirconium oxide or porcelain-fused-to-metal);
• Dental bridges fixed on the adjacent prepared teeth;

Removable appliances include:

• Partial dentures;
• Complete dentures.

How to choose the best restoration method?

During the consultation, the doctor will examine the patient’s teeth, accurate diagnostics will be carried out, the patient’s needs and expectations will be determined and only then the most appropriate restoration alternatives will be suggested. Success of the treatment process is determined not only by the doctor’s experience and expertise and the materials used, but also by the equipment and methods applied.

Most advanced technologies are applied in oral and dental diagnostics and in the manufacturing process of dental prosthetics at „Dantų harmonija – Dental Harmony“:

• For diagnostics, we use an impressive array of diagnostic tools, such as computed tomography (CBCT), digital dental and panoramic radiographs;
• Precise dental restorations  are designed and manufactured at the  CAD/CAM dental prosthetics laboratory at the clinic „Dantų harmonija – Dental Harmony“;
• „Dantų harmonija – Dental Harmony“ is the first clinic in Vilnius to have acquired a NobelProcera® scanner. This scanner allows us to accelerate and monitor the manufacturing process of dental prostheses through all the stages and ensure top quality.
• Being equipped with the above-mentioned most sophisticated tools, „Dantų harmonija – Dental Harmony“ stands out among dental clinics  not only in Lithuania, but in the whole Baltic region as well.

READ MORE about our CAD/CAM dental prosthetics laboratory and its technologies HERE .

 Tooth restoration on implants

Dental implantation is the most advanced, reliable and durable tooth restoration method that a dentist can offer at present. Only using dental implants it is possible to restore the tooth from the root to the crown.

What are dental implants made of?

The implant itself is made of titanium. This metal is totally compatible with the human body. It does not cause allergies and is not rejected by our immune system. Also, it fuses with bone perfectly.

In the picture an implant is compared to a natural tooth.

The advantages of dental implants:

• A lifelong warranty is given to dental implants used at „Dantų harmonija – Dental Harmony“
• Dental implants help to restore 100% of the chewing function, whereas in case of dentures, only about 30-40% of the chewing functionality is recreated.

• Dental implants are non-removable appliances.
• An aesthetic solution as implants look like real teeth, sometimes even better than the original ones.

READ MORE about dental implantation and its benefits HERE

Tooth restoration using crowns

A dental crown

To restore teeth using crowns is recommended in the following cases:

• extensive fillings have caused the colour and the form of the tooth to change;
• to avoid a tooth breaking;
• to restore a chipped or broken tooth.

The advantages of dental crowns:

• to help to achieve the natural shape of the tooth;
• to ensure that weak, frail teeth do not break or chip off;
• to help to restore the aesthetic view of unsightly teeth;
• to  prevent other teeth from changing their position.

Types of dental crowns:

The zircon oxide ceramic crown is the most advanced type of dental crowns. It does not cause allergies. Modern technologies allow for very precise artificial teeth from zircon to be made. When applying this technology to make crowns, first of all, the entire prepared tooth is scanned. Then, utilizing CAD/CAM technology, a future crown base is designed.  After that, a block of zirconium is taken and milled according to the previously designed crown base. Lastly, it is sintered and covered with porcelain.

The main advantages of zircon oxide crowns:

• Zircon is as translucent as a real tooth. Even in neon lighting your teeth will look all natural. It is practically impossible to tell a zircon tooth from a natural one. This is very important when restoring front teeth and especially if dental bridges are needed.
• These crowns will not cause gum inflammation around the restored tooth as they cover the tooth tightly. Thus, it is highly unlikely for dental caries to appear on the edges of the crown.

All-ceramic crowns are made from a sturdy ceramic (porcelain) without using metal. The porcelain reflects light and it is partially translucent. As a result, the tooth restored this way creates a lifelike look.

The main advantages of all-ceramic crowns:

• perfect aesthetic look;
• absolute biological compatibility with oral tissues, no allergic reactions.

All-ceramic crowns are mostly recommended to be used for the front teeth when they chip off or become weak and lose the qualities of healthy teeth. If the patients follows the doctor’s advice and looks after his or her teeth properly, then the maximum crown longevity the can be expected.

Teeth restoration using dental bridges

Restoring missing teeth using a dental bridge might be when a patient loses one or more adjacent teeth. During the procedure the teeth on either side of the gap are prepared by shaving down some of their surface to make some space for crowns to be placed over them. The gap is filled with a false tooth or teeth. In other words, the dental bridge is supported by the two nearby teeth. A little gap is left between the bridge and the gums; therefore, special care should be given when brushing the teeth.

A dental bridge

However, nowadays tooth restoration using dental impantation is a far more advanced method. It is effective, durable and friendly towards the adjacent teeth which are left  intact. The strain is distributed evenly, there is no gap between the gums and the prosthesis, so the food debris cannot accumulate, alveolar bone loss risks are minimised.