What is a “Temporary Tooth” and Why is it Used?

Nowadays, crown and bridge treatments, which are commonly known as coatings among the public, are applied to provide aesthetic changes in the smile, to replace missing teeth, and to restore teeth with excessive tissue loss. These types of treatments are fixed treatments that are bonded to the teeth in the mouth and used as if the person had their own teeth.
We hear terms such as Emax, zirconia, porcelain under the title of these fixed treatments.

In fixed treatments, the process covers the entire tooth, first the teeth are reduced a little in order to create enough space for the material to be placed on them. Then, the prepared (cut/reduced) teeth are measured. While taking the measurement, 3D intraoral scanner devices can be used in today's technology as an alternative to old-fashioned dough-like measurement methods.

The production period of permanent teeth starts according to the material (zirconia, emax, metal etc.) and method (digital/traditional) preferred by the person based on the measurements taken. In digital methods, permanent teeth can be produced and bonded on the same day using scraper devices. However, the production process, which is carried out manually with the manual labor of a dental technician, ends in an average of 1 week to 10 days depending on the material. During this process, plastic temporary teeth made of acrylic, which can be prepared in a short time, are made for the patients until their main teeth arrive. These temporary teeth are bonded to the teeth with temporary adhesives so that they can be easily removed during the rehearsal sessions.

Benefits of temporary teeth: Why are temporary teeth made?

– It prevents aesthetic loss and ensures comfort in social environments.
– Helps to prevent speech differences and difficulties caused by missing teeth.
– It prevents the face from collapsing by supporting the soft tissues, especially the lips and cheeks.
– Although they are not very strong, they enable the person to chew for a period of 1 week.
– It facilitates the fit of the final prosthesis by shaping the gum around the tooth.
– Protects prepared (cut/reduced) teeth from external effects such as bacteria and food residues.
– Prevents teeth from shifting and moving.

Is the material of temporary teeth harmful to health?

Temporary teeth, commonly known as “plastic teeth”, are biocompatible, meaning they are harmless to health in terms of their content. They are not affected by the temperature in the mouth or the food we eat and drink. Their only disadvantage is that they are more fragile than materials such as zirconia, porcelain, and emax, and they are not as aesthetically satisfying as these materials.

How long can we use temporary teeth?

Temporary teeth are used for a standard period of 1 week to 10 days until the permanent teeth come in. However, they can be used for much longer periods on a monthly basis as long as they do not break, depending on different treatment plans and needs.

Dr. İrem Sena Divanlıoğlu