Treatment Alternatives

Patients need to be informed about all of the treatment alternatives for their specific problem. As an example, the following are treatment alternatives for one missing upper lateral incisor tooth:

• A three-unit fixed partial denture.
• A two-unit cantilever fixed-partial denture, supported by the canine, as a replacement for the lateral incisor.
• An implant, abutment, and a crown in the missing tooth area.
• A metal-supported removable partial denture.
• A nonmetal containing resin-removable partial denture.
• An acid-etched, resin-cement retained, ceramic fixed partial denture bonded to the lingual of the canine and the central incisor.
• An acid-etched, resin-cement retained, porcelain-fused-to-metal fixed partial denture bonded to the lingual surfaces of the canine and the central incisor.
• Doing nothing at all.

 

All of these treatments must be explained to the patient to satisfy informed consent. These alternatives can easily be shown to the patient using some of the patient education programs readily available through many sources, including my own organization.