What is an interim prosthesis?
An interim prosthesis is a removable dental restoration for teeth that have been lost or are about to be removed. It consists of white plastic prosthesis teeth, which are incorporated in a gum-colored base, and is attached to the remaining teeth with curved metal clasps. Interim originally comes from Latin and means transition. The interim prosthesis is therefore the simplest type of temporary dental care and bridges the time until a fixed, final denture can be inserted.
Reasons for an interim denture
The interim denture is made as soon as one or more teeth are lost. While it is a good solution in the anterior region, especially aesthetically, by closing the gap with an artificial tooth, it also ensures that adjacent and opposite teeth in the opposite jaw are not damaged by the loss of teeth. Furthermore, the chewing function of the dentition can be preserved, especially if teeth in the rear area of the main chewing center are missing. In this way, an aesthetic and functional maximum can be achieved during the transitional phase – until the gums and the underlying bone have healed well – without changing the current bite position.
What does an interim prosthesis cost?
As part of the definitive dental care, the interim prosthesis is a service which is subsidized by the statutory health insurance. It must be applied for and approved by the health insurance company before it is made. 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 cost per jaw is about 300€ on average, with the health insurance company providing a certain fixed allowance depending on the individual bonus of the patient. Thus the own contribution is up to about 200€. If interim prostheses are made for both jaws, one should expect about 500€.
Interim prosthesis with clasps
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 prosthesis teeth are placed on a gum-colored plastic in a dental laboratory and adapted to the exact patient situation by means of an individual tooth impression. Furthermore, clasps are incorporated into the plastic, which are held in place by the remaining teeth.
The prosthesis can then easily be put over the teeth, which gives it adhesion. The prosthesis can be removed as you like, the only disadvantage is that the clasps wear out after some time and the prosthesis fits looser. However, the dentist can improve this by activating the clasps.
