Fixed or removable prostheses?

The great majority of patients who come to our office tell us about their life with their inseparable companions "the veneers". Some anecdotes are: "I was having coffee with some friends, I sneezed and they came out", "the glue to stick the veneers doesn't work anymore", "when I take off my veneers I look wrinkled", "I want to go into the sea, but I'm afraid that a wave will take my teeth", "these veneers got loose", "I don't like to go to barbecues because I can't handle meat", among other stories that some tell us with laughter and others with tears.

For years, removable prostheses have been used as an option for patients who have lost their teeth. However, with the passage of time and advances in dentistry, techniques have been developed for oral rehabilitation, which allow patients to restore their chewing function.

Among the main disadvantages of removable prostheses are the lack of stability, lack of comfort, retention of food debris, irritation of oral tissues, lack of adaptation and psychologically they have a great impact on the patient for not being able to perform common activities with security and confidence.

What is our recommendation? Opt for fixed restorations which include dental implants and dental bridges.

Dental implants are small devices made of a metal alloy, mainly titanium, a biocompatible material, which allows the integration to the patient's bone, resulting in a success rate of approximately 98% according to several studies. In addition to this, dental implants stimulate the alveolar bone (which supports the teeth), thus maintaining almost the same dimensions, since the resorption process is stopped.

The replacement of dental pieces with implants allows the patient to recover normal masticatory function, dental esthetics, comfort when speaking and at a psychological level, definitely an increase in quality of life. In our patients we have seen how they return to eating, whistling and laughing out loud at every moment to resume their hobbies and projects, collecting those nice details of life that only gives them the pleasure of smiling.