?:definition
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Dental prostheses designed for total replacement (i.e., restoration) of the teeth of the upper (i.e., maxilla) or lower (i.e., mandible) jaw. The prostheses are fixed (e.g., cemented) in place by the dentist, and the user cannot remove them. Complete dental prostheses are typically custom-made devices that include two main components: the retainers (i.e., castings), joined by connectors, and pontics (artificial teeth that are integral components of the prostheses); they are made of cast metal alloys, or combinations of metal alloys and synthetic (e.g., acrylic) resins or ceramic. Complete fixed dental prostheses are intended to totally replace the missing teeth in edentulous patients.
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