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Very Short Central Incisors with Dark Shadows at the Gum
Diagnosis
Patient #13 had severely worn all of her upper teeth and we placed crowns after removing old fillings and decay. She was missing three upper posterior teeth. The span was too long to bridge because the back tooth was not very strong. She wanted implants, but not the sinus lift necessary to place the implants. The only other option was to replace the tooth with a partial. She did not want to show the clasp.
Treatment
So we built a partial with a precision attachment (the small green nylon insert which has a U shape in this photo), which snaps over a ball on the back of the crown in front of it. 
Future Treatment
She was a very good patient. The appearance of her teeth and smile was much improved. She was extremely happy with the result. The work was completed approximately two years ago and is holding up well. The nylon clip needs to be replaced every year. The partial teeth need to be replaced every 5 years. A new partial will be needed every 10 years. The average life expectancy of metal ceramic crowns is 12 to 14 years.
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