Best Option for Missing Teeth Replacement
You may be among the millions of US adults who are missing one or more teeth, and, if you are, you’re probably wondering about your options for replacing your missing teeth – especially if your missing tooth is visible when you smile or speak. While there are certainly aesthetic reasons to replace missing teeth, there are also concerns related to both dental and medical health. In fact, there are multiple reasons that it’s a good idea to replace missing teeth, and there are also multiple options for people who seek to replace one or more missing teeth.
There are certain factors to consider when planning for teeth replacement. These include:
- The number of teeth missing
- Patient’s budget and dental insurance
- Comfort
- Aesthetics
- Oral and overall health
- Lifestyle
- Maintenance
For patients seeking a comfortable, long-lasting, natural-looking and -feeling solution, implant-based restorations are the optimal choice for replacing a single missing tooth, multiple missing teeth, or even a full row of teeth. Implant-based restorations take a variety of forms; all require minor surgery to place the dental implant post in the jawbone, and all require that the patient have a sufficient amount of healthy bone in their jaw, which might require supplementary surgical procedures like bone grafts. Implant-based dental restorations also tend to cost more than their removable or temporary counterparts.
The “gold standard” for replacing a single missing tooth is the combination of a dental implant and a crown, which mimics the natural structure of a tooth root and tooth. This involves the placement of a single implant post in the jaw; once the jawbone has healed, fusing with the implant, an individual dental crown is attached to the implant, and the permanent restoration is complete. Implant-supported bridges can replace two or more missing teeth in a row with a single dental implant post, providing the stability and bite force that comes with implants, and implant-supported dentures rely on as few as two or four implants to replace an entire row of missing teeth. These implant-supported dentures may be snap-on dentures that are removed for cleaning nightly, or they may be full rows of teeth that are permanently affixed to strategically placed implants. In any case, all types of implant-based replacements provide stability, longevity, and comfort while preserving the integrity and strength of the jawbone, but the procedures take longer to complete, involving surgery and recovery times, and are generally more expensive than other types of restorations.
Patients seeking a more affordable, less invasive way to replace missing teeth find solutions with removable dentures, whether partial or complete, and with dental bridges. A dental bridge is just that: a bridge. In this case, the bridge connects two teeth that have a gap between them where one or two teeth once lived. The two adjacent teeth are crowned, and these crowns support dental prosthetics that “bridge the gap.” Some patients who are missing a single tooth might start out with a removable replacement tooth called a flipper; while these are inexpensive and can be placed almost immediately, they’re not considered a long-term solution. Like dental bridges, partial dentures rely on the natural teeth for support as they replace multiple missing teeth in a row, while a complete denture replaces an entire row of missing teeth. While each of these replacement methods is more affordable, less time-consuming, and less invasive than dental implants, they vary in terms of comfort, stability, and appearance, and none prevent bone loss.
With so many factors to consider, the best way to learn about your optimal options for missing teeth replacement is to see your dentist. A comprehensive oral examination, including x-ray images, and an in-depth conversation with your dental specialist will help you better understand your best options for replacing missing teeth and get you started on the way to rebuilding your smile.
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