Dental Prostheses
All structures made with suitable materials for the restoration of lost teeth, natural tooth structure and aesthetics in order to protect the health of teeth and tissues are called prosthesis.

Prostheses are basically divided into three groups:
Fixed prostheses (crown-bridge-like bonded prostheses)
Removable dentures (full or partial dentures)
Implant prostheses (fixed or mobile superstructures)

Fixed Prostheses
single crowns; It is a type of prosthesis made on a single tooth.
It is applied by the dentist by reducing the natural tooth and cannot be removed by the patient.
Bridges; It is a prosthesis made to replace the missing tooth or teeth by taking support from the natural teeth on both sides of a tooth-deficient area.

Considerations After Your Fixed Prostheses Are Fitted

• Do not eat or drink anything for 4 hours.
• Do not eat or drink very hot or cold for the first 24 hours.
• Brush your dentures and teeth regularly.
• You will notice that there are gaps in the areas where your missing teeth are located, this is done hygienically.
• Clean these areas using special interface brushes or dental floss under the bridge.
• After your dentures are attached, hot and cold sensitivity may last for a while. (About 1 year)
• If you have constant pain or any other complaint other than sensitivity, you should consult your doctor.

Removable Prostheses
Total prostheses

These are prostheses made by the patient losing all the teeth in his mouth. It is usually made from a substance called acryl, in very rare and very special cases, with metal support. The use of porcelain teeth in full dentures is preferred depending on special circumstances.
For this reason, the physician should decide on the material to be used.

Partial dentures

It is a type of prosthesis that provides attachment to the teeth with metal parts called crochet (hooks) made by using special acrylic and metals together when there are few teeth left in the mouth.

Precision Retained Prostheses

They are metal-supported prostheses that are applied to partially edentulous mouths but do not have hooks, instead of which different holders are used.

Considerations After Your Removable Dentures Are Fitted

• Prostheses must be removed at bedtime.
• After meals, food may get under the prosthesis. Therefore, it should be removed and washed after every meal.
• After removing it at night, it should be washed with the help of a toothbrush and kept in a bowl of water.
• After the new prosthesis is made, the patient should not continue to wear the old prosthesis. He should accept that it takes a while to get used to it.
• There may be complaints of dents related to newly fitted prostheses. While the patient has sores in his mouth, he can apply to his doctor and have it corrected.

Implant Top Prostheses

implant; It is an artificial tooth root that is placed in the jawbone and made of suitable material in order to restore the function and aesthetics of missing teeth.
Prostheses made on these screws are also divided into two as fixed and mobile. Fixed superstructures are porcelain crowns applied to one or more teeth. Movable superstructures are total-like prostheses applied to completely edentulous mouths.
Implant screws; They are structures with a certain thickness and width.
For this reason, the jawbone in the area where the implant is to be placed must have the height and width to accept this implant screw. The quality of the existing bone is also one of the factors affecting the success of the implant. In addition, before the treatment and as long as the implant remains in the mouth, the gums must be completely healthy. As long as the general health of the patient is good, there is no upper age limit to prevent implant application, but it is not preferred to be applied to very young patients whose bone development has not been completed. In order to ensure the full integration of the implants with the bone (osteointegration), the loads on the implant should be minimized during the 1-6 months, which is the healing period. It can never be said that the prosthesis to be made is superior to a healthy natural tooth. Therefore, the primary purpose of contemporary dentistry is preventive dentistry.

Considerations and Frequently Encountered Questions in the Use of Prostheses
Prostheses are prepared after a long and laborious treatment process. After this step, there are some points to be considered.

Day One / Adjustment Time
When using the prosthesis for the first time, it may take some getting used to and you should be patient. At the beginning, the perceptions will feel the prosthesis as a foreign body and it will take some time to get used to the tissues (muscles, mucosa and tongue) until they accept the new situation. Chewing and speaking habits will also adapt to the new situation over time. Dentist advice should be followed.
On the first day, soft and non-sticky foods should be consumed. During the acclimatization period, one should try to eat very slowly and as equal as possible with both sides. The longer a meal is spared, the faster the prosthesis gets used to. If the dentures slip during chewing, this should not disturb the person. It is very natural to have painful places on the first day. For this reason, it is necessary to be checked by a dentist shortly after the prosthesis is placed.
Normally, the upper jaw prosthesis does not cause much trouble. Covering the palate may cause some discomfort. However, this is one of the problems of the habituation period.
Lower jaw prostheses require more patience than upper jaw prostheses. The tongue can negatively affect the retention and posture of the prosthesis.

What should be considered for biting and chewing?
In the beginning, very large bites should not be taken into the mouth. The food should be cut into small pieces and eaten with the help of the back teeth. The tearing motion with the front teeth should not be made as much as possible. Because this movement can cause long-term melting and permanent damage to the underlying bone.

What should be done when the prosthesis strikes?
If the prosthesis causes knocks in the mouth, a dentist should be consulted immediately. Physician finds and removes the factor causing the stroke. Biostimulation with soft tissue laser is very effective for treatment. A repeat physician control may be required in about 1 week after the first control. The patient should not make any corrections on the prosthesis.

Maintenance and Cleaning of Prostheses
Since the dentures are mobile, that is, they can be inserted and removed by the patient, the care, cleaning and care to be performed by the person are very important in terms of prosthesis and patient health. The prosthesis used is also effective on general health, as it replaces the teeth, which are the beginning of the digestive system. If the maintenance and cleaning of the prosthesis is not done properly, it may become harmful due to the microorganisms it carries.