Nowadays there are several different types of dental dentures such as dental crowns, dental bridges and different types of dental implants. Patients need dental dentures when they lose one or more teeth. The different types of dental dentures function as solutions to the loss of teeth which can occur due to a wide range of reasons.
Some of these causes are:
Dental inlayWith a dental inlay, a type of dental filling, you can fill damaged parts of a tooth.
Dental inlays are special and different from other types of dental fillings in that they are manufactured for a certain tooth and are exactly adjusted to it.
A dental crown is the right solution when dental caries has damaged a tooth so much that it must be replaced. In this case a dental filling would not serve as a sufficient solution. Dental crowns are also used when a tooth is lost and in its place there is a dental implant.
Even dental crowns come in several types depending on the material in usage, such a ceramics or high-grade gold. The most frequent types of dental crowns are as follows:
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Dental bridges are a kind of dental dentures which bridge a tooth gap replacing a missing tooth between two healthy teeth. 
The two healthy teeth function as bridge pillars and the dental bridge spans over the missing tooth. There are different types of dental bridges and bridge structures depending on the number of teeth missing and the size of the gap. Dental bridges too come in different materials.
The dental bridges are attached to the two teeth on either side of the gap with a dental crown or even a dental crown substitute.
The two main categories are removable and non-removable dental dentures. Then again we must differentiate between partial dentures and total dentures. Partial dentures provide a closure over a missing tooth, whereas total dentures replace an entire row of teeth. Whether the patient needs a partial or a total denture depends upon whether they have any remaining teeth to which the dentist can attach the dental bridge. In all this cases dental implants fulfill the function of natural teeth as dental bridge piles.
With the loss of several teeth the best step is to replace the already lost and the still remaining, but damaged teeth with dental implants.
Dental implants are screw-shaped and are made of titanium, since this material is the most compatible with the human body.
The application of dental implants occurs in the framework of a dental implant surgery which can be carried out either with local anaesthesia or with general anaesthetics. The choice depends on the patient’s needs but also on their general health condition.
After the application of dental implants the next step is the healing phase where the patient receives a temporary dental denture. After the healing phase is over, the dentist and the dental laboratory prepare a permanent dental denture for the patient.
This dental implant process is known as the ‘conventional’ or ‘two-phased’ implantation procedure.
The difference between conventional dental implant procedure and immediate loadable dental implants is that the immediate loadable ones can be loaded with dental dentures right after the application of the dental implants. In this case the dental implant procedure occurs in one treatment so there is no healing phase between the two treatments.
Dental dentures provide a stable and safe feeling when chewing and biting. Furthermore, the application of dental dentures stops the decrease of the amount of jaw bone, thus halting periodontitis.
Generally, dental dentures are considered foreign objects one needs to get used to after their application. Therefore after the application of the dental denture itis normal to experience a sort of tension in the mouth or an altered chewing feeling. These feelings of discomfort are usually harmless and disappear after a couple of days.
Often during the familiarization process the patient can experience some pain or thiscomfort, since the experience of pain is individual in each patient.
Furthermore, an initial temperature sensitivity of the teeth can occur. However, this feeling is harmless as well.
One of the definite advantages of dental inlays is that their application needs no surgery. However, even if a patient’s dental problem is so slight that a dental inlay can solve it, it is still a signal that they need to pay more attention to their oral hygiene and health. Otherwise the condition of their other teeth will worsen.
The advantages and disadvantages of dental crowns depend on the type of the dental crown. For example, all-ceramics crowns are at the same time expensive, long lasting, aesthetic and stable, while with metal crowns possible black discolorations in the gum area can occur after 5-10 years.
Their disadvantage is that regardless of the type of the dental denture, they are not really comfortable. On the plus side removable dental dentures are cheaper than fixed tooth replacement options.
The advantages of dental implants are that they replace not only the teeth but the teeth roots as well, therefore there is no need for grinding down the other, healthy teeth. Furthermore dental implants are very long lasting. The disadvantages of dental implants are that their preparation and application require more time, effort and they generally mean greater costs.
One of the disadvantages when it comes to dental bridges, is that if the patient has lost a lot of teeth,they first need to get dental implants so that a dental bridge can be inserted. The applied dental implants are then part of the dental bridge and fulfill the function of natural teeth as dental bridge pillars. However, the application of dental bridges is quicker and easier.
