What’s a Conversion Prosthesis and Why Should You Care?

The doctors at Pi Dental Center are constantly improving dental implant treatment techniques. Over 26 years ago, they created the Teeth In A Day^® process that allowed patients to leave the office with fixed teeth the day of implant placement. The conversion prosthesis is a crucial aspect in the Teeth In A Day^® dental implant procedure. Read “What’s a Conversion Prosthesis and Why Should You Care?”

The concept of osseointegration

Osseointegration is an important concept when discussing dental implants. This phenomenon is what makes dental implant treatment possible. Osseointegration is the biological process by which living bone fuses with the titanium dental implant to form an artificial tooth root.

What is a conversion prosthesis?

A conversion is a transitional fixed implant-supported prosthesis. It’s a temporary device that “converts” an area where teeth were missing to non-removable teeth.

During dental implant placement, a complete removable denture is converted into a temporary fixed prosthesis. This prosthesis is worn by the patient from the day of surgery until the delivery of the final permanent prosthesis.

The conversion technique was designed by Dr. Thomas Balshi in 1985. He and Dr. Glenn Wolfinger further developed the technique at Prosthodontics Intermedica (Pi Dental Center) and it was described in depth in dental journals in 1996.

“The development of the conversion prosthesis in 1985 enabled the development of the Teeth In A Day^® procedure in 1993,” stated Dr. Glenn Wolfinger, board certified prosthodontist and owner of Pi Dental Center.

How does it benefit implant treatment?

A conversion prosthesis technique provides non-removable teeth immediately following surgery. This technique allows the patient to have attractive, stable fixed teeth while dental implants osseointegrate.

A conversion provides function immediately after dental implant surgery. With a conversion prosthesis, the patient is able to smile confidently, chew comfortably, and speak clearly.

The conversion prosthesis provides stability in the jaw and protects the gum tissue. It acts as a splint during the healing period.

The conversion is used to make the final prosthesis. It serves as a prototype for the final prosthesis. With the help of the conversion prosthesis, the dentist and patient work together to create a perfectly suited final prosthesis.

The conversion prosthesis technique reduces the total number of treatment visits. Assisting long-term patient maintenance is another advantage.

The conversion prosthesis has proven to be a valuable component in Teeth In A Day^® dental implant treatment. If you are considering replacement of missing teeth, give Pi Dental Center a call to schedule your evaluation. We will be happy to thoroughly explain Teeth In A Day^® and discuss all of your treatment options.

Footnotes:

Balshi TJ. Wolfinger GJ. Conversion prosthesis: a transitional fixed implant-supported prosthesis for an edentulous arch—a technical note. IJOMI. 1996. 11(1):106-11.

Evolution of Full-Arch Implant Prosthodontics: From Analog Protocols to Digital Workflows. Rawal S, Balshi TJ, Jivraj S, Birdi B. Compend Contin Educ Dent. 2019 Oct; 40(9):578-585; quiz 586.

More info:

What is Teeth In A Day^®