Dentures in Friedrichshain – for your most beautiful smile

Especially in the visible area of the front teeth, but also in other areas, gaps in the dental arch are not attractive to look at and often become a psychological burden for patients. With the right dentures, you can keep your best smile into old age, keep your chewing apparatus intact and not have to put up with any loss of speech. Subsidies from your health insurance company or even reputable supplementary dental insurance keep the costs down. As your dentist in Friedrichshain I will advise you on the most suitable option for you and, together with my team, ensure that you can smile again quickly if you lose a tooth.

The various options for dentures

A rough distinction can be made between fixed and removable dentures when it comes to the options for restoring a tooth gap or the entire upper or lower jaw. Depending on the findings and situation in the dental arch, each variant has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, the question of which materials the patient can tolerate also plays a role in choosing the right prosthesis. All-ceramic dentures are more tolerable for some patients than metal alloys and titanium is also being used more and more frequently due to its high biocompatibility. In addition, the expected costs influence the decision on a suitable restoration for the patient.

Fixed dentures

A fixed solution is usually considered when smaller gaps need to be closed, i.e. when the entire jaw does not need to be restored. It can take the form of a single crown or partial crown or a bridge as a dental prosthesis for larger gaps:

Crown: If a tooth has been severely decayed or damaged by an accident, this can be treated with a crown. The tooth in question is conically ground down to create sufficient space for the crown. The dentist then takes an impression, which is used by the dental technician to create a working model. This model is then used by the dental technician to produce the crown individually and precisely for the patient. The crown can be made of metal (alloys) and veneered with ceramic, at least in the visible area, so that the crown with tooth-colored ceramic as a dental prosthesis also meets aesthetic requirements. Modern all-ceramic crowns, which are milled from a single piece in a complex process, are an alternative.
Adhesive bridge: A bonding bridge or adhesive bridge can replace individual missing teeth, provided that the adjacent teeth are free of caries and fillings. They serve as abutment teeth and must therefore have sufficient substance for the necessary grinding. Such bridges also consist of a veneered metal or all-ceramic framework and are bonded to the previously ground teeth after fitting. Adhesive bridges are used when the tooth is missing and a crown is therefore no longer possible, but an implant is rejected.

Removable dentures

In the case of removable dentures, a distinction is made between partial dentures for one area of the lower or upper jaw and full dentures for the entire upper or lower jaw:

Partial denture: This is used when parts of the dental arch are still present. Depending on the intended use, partial dentures are available in various designs. They are often made with simple wire clasps to hold them in place and made of plastic as a transitional prosthesis (interim prosthesis). It bridges the time until the final restoration is completed with a suitable replacement, for example a cast partial denture, for the missing teeth. The latter, in turn, has a cast metal framework together with similarly manufactured clasps that are adapted to the patient’s teeth with a support pin as additional support.
Full denture: If all natural teeth are missing in the upper or lower jaw, a full denture is used as a dental prosthesis. The “third party” is usually made of plastic and may be reinforced with a metal framework. In the upper jaw, the necessary hold is created by the suction effect between the palate and the prosthesis. However, due to the absence of natural teeth, the jawbone deteriorates over time, meaning that the suction effect is no longer perfect due to the poorer fit. In the lower jaw, such prostheses are all the more problematic due to the lack of contact surface. Here in particular, but also for better retention in the upper jaw, implants provide a remedy as a retaining base for the full denture.

Combined dentures

Consequently, the combined denture consists of a combination of fixed and removable elements. Here too, a distinction can be made between different types of prostheses:

Telescopic prosthesis: This type of partial denture is connected to the abutment teeth via telescopic crowns. Telescopic crowns consist of two crowns that fit into each other, whereby the lower crown is firmly connected to the abutment tooth. The upper crown is part of the removable telescopic prosthesis. As with completely removable partial dentures, plastics, metals and ceramics in the same tooth color are used in their manufacture.
Attachment prosthesis: This replaces missing molars and works via a type of plug-in connection, the two parts of which are attached to one or even two abutment teeth on each side in the mouth or to the partial denture. The prosthesis can thus be inserted into its firmly anchored counterpart. From the outside, this variant is also barely recognizable as a denture, as it is made of tooth-coloured plastic, which may be metal-reinforced.
Bar denture: A bar denture is a partial denture that has a bar as its base, which is firmly anchored in the oral cavity and always connects two teeth or implants. A bar denture can only have a single bar, but can also be integrated via several bars. The counterpart fitted into the denture, the bar rider, is used to connect it to the bar that is firmly anchored in the mouth, similar to a hinge.

Implants as a basis

In the meantime dental implants are increasingly being used as a fixed base for removable dentures. As an artificial replacement for the missing tooth root, an implant provides a long-lasting base for removable solutions, making them much easier to care for and repair. Implants can also support and carry individual crowns as well as longer bridges or entire full dentures. The biggest disadvantage of implants is the cost, which is significantly higher than for other forms, such as a bridge. On the other hand, they are the most durable form of dental prosthesis.

Costs under control

Before treatment, the dentist fills out the so-called treatment and cost plan for the patient’s health insurance company. He enters which teeth or gaps need to be treated and which type of dental prosthesis has been chosen. If the patient wants treatment that goes beyond the standard treatment covered by health insurance, this is also recorded.

The patient sends the treatment and cost plan to their health insurance provider. Based on the information provided, the health insurance company calculates the fixed allowance, i.e. its share of the costs for the dentures. This in turn determines the patient’s own share of the costs to be borne. A well-maintained bonus booklet, which should ideally be enclosed with the treatment and cost plan when it is submitted, can increase the health insurance company’s fixed allowance. The more often preventive appointments are attended, the higher the bonus. The lower the patient’s own contribution.

Supplementary dental insurance can also help to keep costs down. Such insurance policies are offered by private health insurance companies, but their tariffs can vary greatly. When taking out such insurance, it is important to check which services and costs are actually covered.

Let us advise you

As the specialists for endodontics in Friedrichshain we are the first port of call for pain-free treatment of our patients using state-of-the-art instruments. Our top priority is to preserve your natural teeth. But even if a gap has developed or you need more comprehensive solutions for tooth replacement, we are there for you with commitment and expertise. We will be happy to advise you on the most suitable option for you.

Make an appointment at our practice now, we look forward to seeing you. Under 030 55 32 393 or online we are available for you.

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