An alternative to the implant solution could be a traditional fixed dental prosthesis (FDP). However, for the fixed dental prosthesis (FDP) to be supported, the healthy teeth to the right and left of the toothless gap must be used.
These teeth are cut and reduced in size to carry the crowns to which the fixed dental prosthesis (FDP) is attached. If the teeth are perfectly healthy, this is an undesirable situation. The cutting process means that these teeth will lose their protective enamel layers and be exposed to more stress. In many cases, this will reduce the lifespan of these teeth.
If the gap is at the end of the dental arch – referred to as an edentulous end – your dentist may offer a removable partial denture as an alternative. The same applies when the gap is too large to be effectively treated with a traditional bridge.
A simple removable partial denture is attached to the existing teeth with metal clasps. The metal clasps and the plastic of the denture are also supported by the gums or jaw, but the metal clasps can damage the supporting teeth over time
. A high-quality removable partial denture can also be attached to natural teeth using rods or precision attachments. This means that, as with a tooth-supported bridge, the teeth would need to be trimmed and crowned.