Ceramic dental prostheses without metal. CAD-CAM technology in dentistry

Real case of dental prostheses

Frequently asked questions about CAD-CAM technology applied to dental prostheses

What is CAD-CAM?

CAD-CAM is a technology used in the field of dentistry that is responsible for improving the design and creation of restorations, especially dental prostheses including crowns, veneers, bridges, implants and orthodontic appliances.

The CAD-CAM software achieves an increase in the speed of design and creation, making possible restorations and devices that would otherwise have been unfeasible. Another advantage is the reduction of unit cost, which makes it possible to make affordable restorations and devices that would otherwise have been prohibitively expensive.

How does this technology work?

CAD-CAM dental restorations are made of solid blocks of ceramic or composite resin.
The dentist takes a scan image of the tooth to be restored and the neighboring natural teeth. This image, called digital printing, extracts the data on a computer. The software then creates a spare part for the missing tooth area. This process is called reverse engineering. The software sends this virtual data to a milling machine, where the spare part is carved into a solid block of ceramic or composite resin. The restoration is then fitted into the patient’s mouth and cemented or bonded in place.

What is a dental prosthesis?

It is an intraoral prosthesis (inside the mouth) used to restore or reconstruct intraoral defects such as partial or total lack of teeth and lack of soft or hard structures of the jaw and palate. Prosthodontics is the specialty of dentistry that deals with partial or complete dentures. Such prostheses are used to rehabilitate chewing, improve aesthetic health and aid in improving speech. A dental prosthesis may be held in place by attachment to the teeth and / or dental implants, by aspiration, or passively by the surrounding muscles. Like other types of prostheses, they can be fixed permanently or removable.

The fixed dental prosthesis uses dental adhesive or screws, to attach to the teeth or to the implants and the removable dental prosthesis uses the friction against the parallel hard surfaces of the adjacent teeth or dental implants.

What is a removable dental prosthesis?

These types of dental prostheses are dental restorations that can be removed by the patient when their use is not necessary. Dentures are the most common removable dental prosthesis on the market and are the most common way that most patients choose to replace their missing teeth. The reason behind this is that, despite all the other advances in dental technology, removable prostheses are non-invasive and will not require any surgical intervention or painful recovery. The removable dental prosthesis rests on the surrounding tissues in the oral cavity and can be conveniently removed by the patient when it is not necessary to use or to perform a cleaning and when its replacement is necessary.

Prostheses can improve chewing, help maintain muscle tone that is lost with loss of teeth, and restore or improve the patient’s ability to speak and pronounce words better, but above all, give the patient a boost in self-esteem which he usually loses when he begins to lose his teeth.

What are the different types of removable dental prosthesis?

Partial Dentures

Partial dentures are prostheses that are used in patients who only need some of their teeth. The replacement teeth in the partial dentures are usually connected to a colored plastic base that is, in turn, connected to the metal structure that will hold the denture in place when placed in the patient’s mouth. Inner fittings adhere to adjacent teeth are crucial to ensure that removable partial dentures do not move or fall off when the patient wears them. Partial removable dentures are effective not only to fill gaps created by missing teeth but also to prevent remaining natural teeth from moving out of position.

Complete Dentures

Complete dentures, on the other hand, are used to replace all teeth in the upper or lower jaw of the patient’s mandibular arch. A conventional full denture is a type of removable dental prosthesis that is inserted into the mouth once the gums have completely healed from tooth extraction. Because the gums may take some time to heal, the full denture can not be used by the patient for a certain amount of time, during which time he may have to go without teeth. Immediate complete dentures, on the other hand, are inserted into the patient’s mouth immediately after all teeth have been removed. The patient will not have to go without teeth, but as the gums and tissues heal, they shrink and this will cause the removable prostheses to come loose and a readjustment will be necessary after a certain period of time.

What results can I expect from using removable dentures?

It takes some time to adapt to the feel of the removable dental prosthesis. At first, the new prostheses will feel uncomfortable. The patient will experience excessive salivation, difficulty eating or talking, and a feeling like the teeth are so thick that the tongue does not have enough space to move inside the mouth. These types of sensations, however, disappear over time as the patient becomes accustomed to the apparatus.

What are the differences between a fixed prosthesis and a removable prosthesis?

The two most common types of prostheses include removable prostheses and fixed prostheses. The latter can only be removed by a dentist, while removable dentures can be removed from the mouth whenever you want. Each type has advantages and disadvantages and each person will have to weigh the pros and cons. The decision is reduced to the general health considerations with each type of prosthesis. Keep these aspects in mind before making a decision.

Accelerated loss of bone mass

Once you lose your teeth, the jaw bone will deteriorate. Removable prostheses increase the rate at which the jaw bone deteriorates. These prostheses exert too much pressure on the areas of the jaw bone that is used to support the teeth. Over time dentures do not fit due to loss of density and bone shape in the jaw.

Fixed prostheses, on the other hand, maintain the jaw bone as much as possible. Prosthetic implants actually attach to the jaw bone to form a firm support system. These permanent implants allow a more comfortable life. People who choose fixed prostheses can eat what they like, and do not have to worry about the movement of prostheses in the mouth.

Natural sensation

People who use fixed dental prostheses often say they feel it as their natural teeth. Fixed dentures can lead to increased confidence among people who need a replacement of their natural teeth due to improvement in dental aesthetics. People with fixed dentures often speak more clearly than people with removable dentures.

Removable dentures can make people feel depressed and unenthusiastic. People with removable dentures often complain of pain and discomfort. Creams for dentures and other adhesives make life more complicated than necessary. People with fixed dentures seem more relaxed in their daily lives.

Long-term investment

The initial price of fixed dentures is certainly much higher than removable dentures. In the long run, it is a good investment. These fixed prostheses will never need to be replaced. Can you put a price on comfort, stability and happiness anyway? It is difficult to imagine someone who is happy wearing removable prostheses if they also have the option of using fixed prostheses. These prostheses will look and feel better in your mouth, and that’s what really matters in the end.

What are the prices of dental prostheses?

We can not answer this question with an exact price. This depends on many factors such as the type of fixed or removable dental prosthesis, the specific case of each patient, etc. The best answer we can give you will be after studying your case without commitment in our dental clinic in Barcelona.

Ask for an appointment with our dentist to advise you better on your specific case and improve your oral health and dental esthetics.