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Interim prosthesis

What is an interim prosthesis?

The interim prosthesis is a removable dental restoration for teeth that have previously been lost or are about to be removed. It consists of white plastic denture teeth, which are incorporated into a gum-colored base, and is attached to the remaining teeth with curved metal clips. Interims originally comes from Latin and means transition. The interim denture therefore represents the simplest type of temporary dental restoration and bridges the time until a permanent, permanent denture can be inserted.

Reasons for an interim prosthesis

The interim prosthesis is made as soon as one or more teeth are lost. While it represents a good aesthetic solution in the anterior tooth area in that it closes the gap with an artificial tooth, it also ensures that adjacent and opposing teeth in the opposing jaw are not damaged by the loss of teeth.

Furthermore, the chewing function of the dentition can be preserved, especially when teeth are missing in the rear area of the main chewing center. For the transitional phase - until the gums and the underlying bone have healed well - an aesthetic and functional maximum can be achieved without changing the current bite position.

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What does an interim prosthesis cost?

As part of the definitive dental care, the interim prosthesis is a service that is subsidized by the statutory health insurance. It must be applied for and approved by the health insurance company via a treatment and cost plan before it is created. The cost of the prosthesis depends on the type and complexity of the work and therefore depends on how many teeth need to be replaced.
The total costs per jaw are on average around € 300, with the health insurance providing a certain fixed subsidy, depending on how high the patient's individual bonus is. The co-payment is up to approx. € 200. If interim prostheses are made for both jaws, then you should expect around € 500.

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Interim prosthesis with brackets

If several teeth are missing in the posterior region, an interim prosthesis made of plastic is often made, which is clamped to the remaining teeth with metal clips. The white plastic denture teeth are placed on a gum-colored plastic in a dental laboratory and adapted to the exact patient situation using an individual tooth impression.

Furthermore, brackets are worked into the plastic, which hold onto the remaining teeth. You can then easily put the prosthesis over the teeth, which gives it adhesion. The prosthesis can be removed at will, the only disadvantage is that the clips wear out after a while and the prosthesis is looser. However, the dentist can improve this again by activating the clasp.

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Interim prosthesis without brackets

An interim prosthesis without brackets can be anchored in the interdental spaces using metal retaining buttons. With this design, the anchoring of the prosthesis is less noticeable, but the holding force is also not as strong as with the prosthesis with a curved bracket. Some laboratories also try to produce brackets from a gum-colored, flexible plastic (polyamide), which are supported on the gum line below the tooth. This type of clip production promises very good aesthetic results, but the hold of the prosthesis and the shelf life is often inadequate.

How can you eat with a temporary prosthesis?

The temporary prosthesis can be used normally for eating. It stays in the mouth while the food is ingested and can thus help to chop up and bite off the food. Since it does not work one hundred percent as an interim solution, it may wobble or pry off slightly under one-sided stress (e.g. when chewing bread). This can make eating difficult in some situations, especially if you want to bite off a bun and the front teeth have been replaced by the transitional denture.

Furthermore, food residues can get under the prosthesis, which puts additional pressure and makes cleaning inevitable after eating. The poor adaptability is also the reason why the prosthesis has to be exchanged for a definitive, perfectly fitting denture as soon as possible. Inadequate force distribution causes the bones to be stressed incorrectly in the long term and can be damaged if they are worn for a long time. Overall, the interim prosthesis can be used for eating, but it is disadvantageous for some foods.

Do you also wear an interim prosthesis at night?

Like any other permanent denture, the interim denture can also be worn at night if it fits well and does not cause any difficulties. It is only important that it is cleaned very well beforehand during the evening teeth cleaning. Especially for interpersonal contact, this is often very beneficial to keep your teeth on at night, as many people find it very uncomfortable to reveal the missing teeth and the gaps between their teeth to their partner. However, if there are pressure points and it hurts when the prosthesis is in the mouth, it can be left out for a night.

How long can you wear an interim prosthesis?

The interim prosthesis is intended to bridge the gap for a period of up to six months. This time is needed on the one hand by the body to heal the wound caused by the tooth extraction and on the other hand by the dentist to take all further precautions for the final denture.
It should not be worn for a longer period of time, as an incorrect fit due to incorrect loading of the teeth and the bone can otherwise lead to damage to the healed bone and also to the clasp teeth.

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How do you clean an interim denture?

The interim prosthesis is taken out of the mouth during daily oral hygiene and cleaned with a special prosthesis brush or a normal toothbrush under running water. It is worthwhile to fill the wash basin with some water to buffer it, as the prosthesis can be damaged if it falls on the ceramic. In the case of heavy soiling, normal detergent can also be used.

Toothpaste should not be used due to the abrasive substances it contains, as it can damage the denture. In addition, it should be rinsed under running water after eating so that no food residues can get stuck underneath and cause inflammation.

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What can you do if the temporary prosthesis does not fit?

The interim prosthesis is a temporary solution for replacing a extracted tooth in order to restore the chewing function in the waiting time until the definitive denture. In addition, it should prevent damage to the remaining teeth. A perfect fit is not the goal, however the prosthesis should not cause pain.

If the denture is too loose, the dentist can tighten the denture brackets for better adhesion. If the prosthesis sits loosely after the wound of the extracted tooth has healed and tilts there, the affected area can be relined. In any case, if the fit is not perfect, the dentist should be consulted, as only he can judge what exactly does not fit properly on the prosthesis.

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What materials is an interim prosthesis made of?

The interim prosthesis consists of several components. The hold is achieved using individually curved metal brackets that are attached to healthy teeth. Like the plastic teeth that replace the lost teeth, these are attached to pink denture plastic.

The prosthesis plastic is made of PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), which is very hard. The denture teeth are also made of a special, hardened plastic that has already been cast in a tooth shape. In principle, there is also the option of choosing these prosthetic teeth made of ceramic, but since this is a very expensive matter, it should be reserved for exceptional cases.