?:definition
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Dental prostheses designed to replace more than one missing tooth (i.e., dental bridges), that are fixed (e.g., cemented) by the dentist to natural teeth, roots, or dental implants used as abutments and that the patient cannot remove. These prostheses are typically custom-made devices that include two main components: the retainers (i.e., castings), joined together 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. The size of fixed partial dental prostheses is frequently measured in total units; each retainer and pontic counts as one unit.
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