REMOVABLE PROSTHETIC RESTORATIONS

Although the majority of patients would like a fixed prosthetic restoration to cover edentulous areas, sometimes this is not possible for various reasons. A removable prosthetic restoration may be a suitable alternative for them.

This type of prosthetic restoration can basically be divided into two broad categories: partial and complete. The former is used to restore edentulous areas in the presence of residual dentition, the latter to replace missing teeth in the case of complete edentoulism. Although their comfort level is lower than that of fixed solutions, removable prosthetic restorations offer an alternative in cases where the number or location of remaining teeth is not sufficient, the required number of implants cannot be provided or fixed prosthetic restorations cannot be performed for other reasons. All the more so as recent developments have been made in this area as well. New materials and procedures have appeared that have significantly improved the aesthetics and comfort of removable prosthetic restorations. As a result, the appearance of today’s modern dentures is similar to that of natural teeth. And the former metal-coloured retainers are now available in tooth-coloured and so-called micromechanical versions. So today it is no longer a dream that a modern removable prosthetic restoration with adequate stability and comfort can offer the aesthetics of a fixed prosthetic restoration.