• to enable chewing of food,
• to protect treated teeth and gums,
• to provide an acceptable aesthetic result while waiting for the final prosthetic reconstruction.

The most commonly used temporary prosthetic reconstructions may include: crowns, bridges, veneers, inlays/overlays and dentures. They are made of relatively soft acrylic materials (type of plastic) and attached to teeth abutments, in case of fixed components, with weak TEMPORARY cement. Such pieces are often produced by the dentist on site or within 24/48h at the prosthetics laboratory by a technician. This has significant consequences for the user:

1. The durability of such components is very limited – usually up to 7-14 days in case of fixed components (crowns, bridges, veneers, inlays) produced by the dentist on site and up to 6-8 months in case of fixed crowns and bridges, as well as partial and fully removable prostheses produced by a technician at the laboratory. Durability means resistance to breaking, rather than cement strength.
2. The aesthetic appearance of temporary components usually differs significantly from the appearance of the finished components.
3. The comfort of use of temporary components is significantly lower that the comfort of use of finished components. Especially in case of so-called instant prostheses made straight after a surgical treatment, e.g. tooth removal or dental implant insertion. Such prostheses are technically incapable of remaining stable on the prosthetic base, as soft tissues can be swollen up to 10-14 days after a surgical treatment. Once the swelling has gone down, it may be necessary to have such a prosthesis adjusted by a local dentist.
4. Temporary fixed prosthetic fillings (crowns, bridges, veneers, inlays) are fixed with special weak temporary cement. This is to facilitate their quick and easy removal without creating a risk of damaging the polished tooth while fixing the final prosthetic reconstruction.
5. If a temporary prosthetic filling becomes decemented or in case of any signs of soft tissue irritation you need to report to a dentist immediately in order to re-fix the temporary component or to adjust it.
6. At the patient’s request it is possible to fix a temporary component with stronger cement which significantly reduces the risk of the reconstructed component becoming detached, but it increases the risk of damaging polished teeth during the labour-intensive procedure of cutting individual crowns open at the next appointment. This also means that the temporary component will need to be completely destroyed  during the next appointment.
7. No temporary prosthetic reconstructions are covered by warranty, and any adjustment or re-fixing of components is performed by the patient’s local dentist at the patient’ cost.