Restoring the bite

 

The loss of back teeth can have serious long term consequences. Drifting of remaining teeth leads to changes in the chewing muscles, bones and joints, making chewing difficult and sometimes painful.

You have different treatment options for restoring the biting function of the mouth.

 

 

Denture

A denture replaces one or more missing teeth.
Can be all plastic or have a less intrusive cobalt chromium connector.

Advantages: cheap, easy to make
Disadvantages: removable, cannot bite as hard a real teeth, can dislodge and can damage the gums if oral hygiene is not excellent.

 

Bridgework

A fixed bridge can replace one or more missing teeth by joining crowns together.

Adjacent supporting teeth
are filed down by dentist

 

 

Bridge fitted to replace missing
canine tooth

 

 

Advantages: relative quick to make; best suited when supporting teeth are already filled or crowned.
Disadvantages: filing down healthy teeth can damage nerve and lead to tooth loss in the long term; more difficult to clean under bridge

Crown

A crown is used to repair a badly damaged tooth.
 

Deformed lateral incisor

Finished crown

Severely damaged molar tooth

Finished crown

If there is little space due to short teeth or if there is a history of breaking teeth due to grinding, gold for strength may be required

 

 

 

 

 

Inlay and Onlay

Inlays and onlays are dental restorations that restore part of the tooth crown when a full crown is not required. They are therefore more conservative. They can be made in cast metal, porcelain or composite resin. The choice of material used will depend on aesthetic requirements and the degree of chewing forces the restoration is expected to receive.



Fillings

Composite white fillings are now widely used except for the largest cavities.

Dental amalgam produces long lasting, durable fillings. However the advent of newer materials and an ongoing debate over the safety of mercury-containing fillings has reduced its use.