Prosthetic options after tooth extraction: when should it be done?

Modern dental prosthetics can completely restore the aesthetics of the dentition and its chewing functions. People may face the need for surgical removal at any age. Among the achievements of orthopedic dentistry, anyone can choose a suitable replacement option. Dental prostheses are produced in different types, differing in the material of manufacture, cost, and service life. For the production of structures, alloys of precious metals, ceramics, special plastics, polymers, nylon and other types of raw materials are used.

There are two types of prosthetics after tooth extraction:

• Removable dental structures can be removed and put on by the patient as needed. The products are attached to the supporting teeth using hooks or micro-locks. For edentulous patients, models are used that are fixed to the gums using suction cups or a special gel.
• Fixed dentures are installed in the jaw (implants) or attached to supporting teeth (bridges).

Each category is represented by several options. Among them, dentists select the appropriate solution based on the condition of the oral cavity and the health of the patient.

Depending on the service life of the products, temporary and permanent dentures are distinguished. Models of the first type are designed to last only a few months. The products are used to temporarily close the postoperative gap.

Fixed dentures remain the most popular way to restore the beauty of a smile. This replacement option is more convenient compared to removable devices. It is easy to care for and helps preserve the natural functions of the dental system. Permanent prosthetics are performed in different ways:

• The installation of crowns made of metal ceramics or a metal alloy is performed on a previously prepared tooth. This method is used if the root is intact, but the top is destroyed.
• Implantation of one or more teeth involves inserting an artificial root into the jaw. A permanent or temporary crown is placed on it. This method is indicated for complete or partial edentia. Sometimes doctors use an implant as a support for a bridge.
• Bridges are placed after the amputation of several teeth located nearby.
• Adhesive structures are secured using an adhesive solution. In this case, there is no need to depulp the adjacent teeth. This restoration method is one of the most technologically advanced in orthopedic dentistry.

Prosthetics after tooth extraction and indications for the procedure

Installation of a denture allows you to completely restore the functional and aesthetic properties of the jaw apparatus. The indication for the procedure is single or multiple damage to the jaw as a result of trauma, surgical amputation due to advanced caries, or other diseases of the oral cavity.

If the crown is partially destroyed, a microprosthesis is installed instead of the usual one. This group includes inlays, veneers and ultraneers. The products effectively solve aesthetic problems with minimal trauma to natural bone and gum tissue.

Five important questions about how to insert teeth

Before describing technologies for restoring lost teeth, we will briefly answer the most popular questions that interest almost all patients who are faced with the need for prosthetics for the first time.

1. Do I need to replace teeth if I have lost them?
   Dentists recommend doing this immediately and without fail. Even if the emptiness in the dentition is unnoticeable, do not delay your visit to the clinic. Lack of timely treatment leads to resorption of bone tissue, displacement of the dentition, deterioration of the bite, and can cause changes in the shape of the face and problems with the digestive system.
2. What teeth can be inserted?
   Absolutely everything: natural incisors, canines, molars and premolars can be successfully replaced with dentures.
3. Does it hurt to put teeth in?
   Many patients familiar with the methods of Soviet dentistry are concerned about the question of whether it hurts to insert teeth? We hasten to reassure you: modern methods of anesthesia make the treatment absolutely painless.
4. How long does it take to insert teeth?
   It all depends on the treatment method, the efficiency of the doctors and the dental laboratory. Temporary teeth can be inserted in one visit; permanent dentures require more time.
5. What is the name of the doctor who inserts teeth?
   The doctor who inserts teeth and performs prosthetics is an orthopedic dentist, but treatment and preparation for procedures is usually carried out by a whole team of specialists: dental surgeons, dental therapists, dental technicians.

Contraindications

Thanks to the variety of techniques for each person, you can choose a way to restore the beauty of your smile. All dentures have indications for use and contraindications. The decision to replace a lost element after amputation is made by the attending physician based on the results of dental diagnostics, taking into account the age and condition of the body.

As for the general reasons, experts do not recommend performing surgical procedures if you are pregnant, undergoing rehabilitation after a serious illness or complex operation, or are sick with ARVI. You should not install implants or dentures during periods of exacerbation of chronic diseases, exhaustion or acute stress.

Tell your doctor if you are allergic to anesthetics or take any medications. Some drugs affect blood clotting and the rate of tissue regeneration. This can create problems during the procedure and while the wound is healing.

Often, poor oral hygiene is an obstacle to treatment. This temporary contraindication can be eliminated through therapeutic measures.

Practice and more practice

Most patients understand that a good surgeon is only one who practices almost daily. Moreover, the result, attitude, and feedback are important. I am not the doctor who is fed up with the patient's fear. Knowing all the details of the patient’s upcoming operation and rehabilitation, I best understand all the patient’s fears and try to treat them with respect. Sometimes I am truly amazed at the bravery of these people.

But the point is different - today I understand that the experience and knowledge gained simply need to be shared with colleagues. Therefore, since 2019, my colleague, orthopedist Anton Pavlovich Dobritsky and I have been giving seminars throughout the Republic of Belarus. This is important not only for fellow doctors from other cities, but also for my personal growth. After all, after the seminars, doctors ask different questions, express their opinions, and I can already look at this or that case from a different point of view.

In any case, when choosing an implantologist, a patient should rely not only on a big name, but also on the doctor’s actual practice. And do not confuse information on the Internet with marketing and advertising. Try to study the real activities of the doctor. I also consider it absolutely normal for a patient to contact other implant surgeons with a preliminary treatment plan. A second opinion is great. But personally, I am sticking to the course I have set. Not because I don't respect my colleagues. I’m just ready to take on only things for which I can then be responsible.

All-On-4 Implantation

Installation of the prosthesis immediately after removal (within 24 hours)

Clients are always interested in how many days after an injury or surgery they can get dentures. Dentistry has express methods for instantly eliminating smile defects. There is no need to hide an ugly gap from others and experience discomfort when communicating! We are talking about simultaneous implantation, which is performed in one stage. The dentist installs an artificial root into the resulting hole and immediately puts on a crown, which is prepared in advance. It creates a load on the jaw apparatus and prevents atrophy.

Another option is immediate dentures, which are temporary and are designed for 3-4 months of use.

Which crown to choose

Most of all, patients are interested in the cost of crowns and their aesthetics. Of course, you can choose a prosthesis yourself, focusing on your financial capabilities and ideas about beauty. But it is better if a doctor does this. Before starting the restoration of the dentition, the dentist evaluates the condition of the root system, gums, mucous membrane, tissues of the root part and cervical area. When choosing a prosthetic method, it is important to exclude all contraindications. They differ depending on the method of tooth restoration. The most serious are diseases of the immune system, oncology, uncompensated diabetes mellitus and periodontal inflammation. The doctor’s task is to choose the safest prosthetic option for the patient and the one that best suits the clinical picture.

Expert opinion

Roman Borisovich Alekperov

orthopedic dentist

Experience: 24 years

If you are just planning to visit a surgeon for tooth extraction, consider the option of one-stage implantation. This unique method involves placing an implant into the resulting socket immediately after extraction. No additional manipulations - incisions or detachment of a mucosal flap, as with the classic protocol - are performed. This gentle method will allow you to resolve the issue of tooth restoration immediately at the time of its removal. Important: there are contraindications for immediate implantation! Please clarify the possibility of its use in your case during your consultation.

Why can't we leave everything as it is?

When a person loses a tooth in the smile area, he usually tries to restore it - but with chewing teeth that are not visible, the situation is different. Many people think that if one chewing tooth is lost, then nothing bad has happened - the rest are in place, which means they can chew.

Each tooth in our jaw carries an important functional, and not just aesthetic, load. If the tooth is not restored, negative consequences will inevitably occur:

• improper distribution of the chewing load will lead to gradual destruction of the teeth next to the defect - after all, they will have to work for themselves and for the lost tooth;
• bone tissue atrophy will occur due to the fact that there is no load during chewing;
• Bite defects will appear - if a tooth has been missing for years, then its row neighbors gradually begin to shift towards the empty space;
• chewing food will not be of sufficient quality, which over the years will lead to the development of problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
• bite defects will negatively affect the functioning of the temporomandibular joint, which will provoke neck pain, headaches, discomfort and pain when opening the mouth or chewing, even insomnia;
• Diction problems will appear.

Is it possible to insert teeth without grinding down the adjacent ones?

Before installing classic dentures with fixation on natural teeth, preparation is required. Without grinding, restorative procedures are carried out using plastic structures with special clasp hooks that clasp the neck of a healthy tooth and thus hold the prosthesis in the oral cavity. The production and installation of such prostheses occurs much faster than in the case of overlay prostheses on implants, but you should not count on recovery in one day. If we are not talking about temporary prostheses, the creation of structures, fittings, and corrections can take several weeks.

Difficulties you may encounter

Among the most common reasons for refusing to visit the dentist and timely restoration of missing teeth are the following:

1. Fear of pain. A large number of people avoid the dentist for this reason. They do not even suspect that modern methods of pain relief are very effective and allow them to avoid any unpleasant sensations. If you are asking the question “does it hurt to insert teeth?”, then the experts answer you – “no!”
2. Some refuse to restore the defect due to the length of the procedure itself. Indeed, classic two-stage implantation involves the implant engraftment stage for 6 months. In fact, this is not such a long period, only six months. There are also faster methods, for example, the dentist may suggest immediately inserting the tooth in place of the removed one.
3. A lack of money. How to insert teeth if there is no money? The financial part of the issue is quite important. The dentist can offer various methods of restoring teeth, from cheap to very expensive. Therefore, the patient can choose the best option based on his budget. Today there are a large number of clinics where you can get teeth inserted in installments or on credit. Overall, recovery can be very accessible for all people. When looking for a clinic where you can get teeth inserted cheaply, you must avoid those institutions that operate illegally and have specialists with a dubious reputation on their staff.

The dentist must take an individual approach to the patient who needs to have teeth inserted. Options must be selected so that they take into account the wishes of the person and his financial capabilities. One patient may need to insert a front tooth in one day, while another may need to restore multiple defects using modern and aesthetic materials. With a competent and professional approach, you can eliminate any problems without pain and fear.

Reason 5 – aesthetic side

If a person refuses to insert the front lower or upper teeth, then the cosmetic defect will be significantly pronounced. In addition to visual changes, speech also suffers, the pronunciation of certain sounds is disrupted, and in some cases the patient’s appearance also changes. Since the dentition is a support for the soft tissues of the face, when this support disappears, sagging or sunken cheeks appear, facial features change, and asymmetry appears. All this leads to psychological problems, self-doubt, isolation, and fear of appearing in public. The longer the defect exists, the more pronounced these problems become.

Reason 1 – digestive problems

The digestion process begins in the mouth, when crushed and chewed foods are moistened with saliva containing certain enzymes. As a result, a formed and pre-processed food bolus enters the stomach. In the absence of chewing teeth, food is not crushed enough and is poorly saturated with saliva. As a result, stomach cells have to produce more hydrochloric acid, which increases the risk of developing gastritis.

The inability to chew food thoroughly leads to a change in diet. A person who does not know whether to insert teeth is trying to adapt to existing defects; he tries to eat more soft, pureed or liquid foods. This contributes to dystrophy of the oral mucosa, dysfunction of the digestive glands, decreased peristalsis, and changes in the microbial composition of the intestine.

Treatment prices: which teeth are better to insert on a limited budget

The cost of restoring one or more teeth depends on the treatment method and your budget. The most expensive treatment involves the use of implants. The cheapest thing is dental crowns.

Surveys

Before starting the operation, the dentist is required to conduct a bone examination. These indicators will be decisive and will show whether implantation is possible in this case.

An x-ray is taken, but is often not taken into account until removal. After all, the hole in the place of the diseased tooth is very different from patient to patient.

An important stage of the preliminary examination is to determine the condition of the bone and its density. After all, the fixation of the implant depends on this. During the operation, bone density is also measured, but these are purely medical indicators.

Where to get teeth inserted in Moscow?

There are thousands of clinics in the capital, most of which offer almost all types of dental restoration (crowns, implants, removable and bridge dentures). Choosing a clinic is quite difficult, so we advise you to pay attention to important nuances. Study the clinic’s website: it should contain detailed information about specialists, treatment methods and technologies, as well as relevant diplomas and certificates. Read patient reviews about dentistry on third-party resources. Directly during the consultation, do not be afraid to ask questions and find out details. A good doctor will always give comprehensive information and offer various treatment options. The search engine on our website will help you find reliable dentistry.