Restoring Smiles

What we do...

What is a bridge?

There are two types of bridges. A conventional bridge involves cutting teeth down like a crown, either side of a one or two unit gap. Then a fixed 3-4 unit prosthesis is made, and cemented on both teeth either side of a gap. This gives a better appearance, protection for the teeth, and of course fills the space. Bridges still have a role to play in modern dentistry in the right patient.

A second option is a resin retained bridge (RRB). These can be used for simple single front teeth gaps, where there is no risk of them being overloaded from grinding etc. A resin retained bridge relies on the strength of the modern cements used, and essentially is a piece of thin metal which is glued behind the teeth on either side of the gap. The bridge will not be visible from the front, and the replacement tooth is securely attached to the metal strip to fill the gap.

What we do...

What is a conventional removable denture?

Dentures can be used to replace all of your teeth, or in combination with teeth and existing spaces.

Dentures can be made from acrylic (plastic) or combination of metal (chrome) and plastic. The advantages of chrome is that it is strong in thin sections, and can be made to sit on your teeth, allowing for a more natural eating experience, where the teeth take the load. A plastic denture commonly would sit on the gum, and sinks as you eat and bite on it. This is definitely the case with a full denture, where a combination of good muscle control and suction is required for a denture to work, in the absence of dental implants.

The disadvantage of a plastic or conventional chrome denture with teeth, is that there has to be little wires (claps) around the teeth to stop the denture falling out. These can be unsightly and sometimes are visible in a patient’s smile line.

What is a precision attachment denture?

A precision attachment denture is one that has been designed in conjunction with crowning certain teeth in your mouth, for it to then slot onto the teeth, as well as click onto special attachments which are completely invisible.

The advantage of this type of high-end denture is that teeth are protected, and there are no visible clasps / wires, and the denture does not sink or move. A precision attachment denture gives you a more natural looking and feeling prosthesis.

Want your dentures to feel solid and not move around?

Constructing good dentures is a skill, more of an art than a science. But sometimes the anatomy of a patient’s mouth, with teeth being extracted years before, make even good dentures difficult to control and be stable. Loose dentures are an embarrassment socially, and make it difficult to eat the things you love, like a nice steak or a juicy apple!

With beautifully made removable implant retained overdentures, you can go back to eating and speaking with more confidence, knowing your dentures will not move.

Using dental implants to anchor a new overdenture is sometimes a better option than a fixed jaw bridge. Advanced bone grafting may be avoided, and the dentures will help to support the lips, and the muscles of the face, giving back a more youthful appearance. No more mouth sores with a loose denture, no more denture fixative before going out to socialise, and the confidence in having a more solid foundation for your new - removable - smile.

Removable implant retained teeth allow for easy cleaning of the mouth and the dentures, and the dentures can be anchored in different ways, with a bar being the gold standard.

The more implants you invest in, the more support your new teeth will have, allowing you to be more confident in your day-to-day activities. For more information please see our dental implants section.