Missing teeth is probably more common than you think. Many people are missing teeth towards the back of their mouths, making it pretty unnoticeable.
But when you have missing teeth in the area of your mouth that is exposed when you smile, it’s much more noticeable. For this reason, it may knock your confidence and leave you feeling self-conscious about your appearance.
Having missing teeth doesn’t only affect don’t only affect your appearance. Over time, it also starts to affect the alignment of the rest of your teeth and your overall jaw structure. This can lead to problems with speaking and eating.
There are many causes of missing teeth. The most common reasons are gum disease caused by a medical health condition or poor oral hygiene, or injury due to an accident.
No matter what the reason for your missing teeth, there are a few different options available to restore your smile. If you’re been avoiding the dentist for a while, it might be time to pay them a visit.
Here are three great dental options to replace missing teeth.
Dental Implants
Dental implants look and feel natural in your mouth. You can get dental implants for multiple missing teeth to restore your smile. They are one of the most popular methods of tooth replacement due to their long-lasting benefits.
Despite being one of the more expensive options, dental implants can last multiple decades if they are looked after correctly. They provide a permanent solution to replace one or more of your teeth.
Getting dental implants inserted does involve an invasive procedure where screws are initially placed into the root of your teeth. These screws act as an anchor to hold the implants in place.
The dental implants help to support the structure of the surrounding bone to prevent it from collapsing. This means your jaw structure and gum shape are maintained.
You’ll need a few months of recovery time after a dental implant procedure. When the recovery process is complete, your dentist will place a dental crown over the top of the dental implant to secure it further.
Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are another popular option to replace multiple missing teeth. Unlike some of the other methods of tooth replacement, dental bridges only require implants to be placed at either end of the row of missing teeth.
Instead, the replacement teeth are supported at either end of the bridge and the middle teeth require no screws. This is a less invasive option than dental implants and still provides a natural look and feel.
The downside to dental bridges is that they aren’t a permanent solution like implants are. They will need to be replaced at some point in the future and you’ll need to go for regular check-ups with your dentist.
There are a few different kinds of dental bridge. A tooth-supported bridge uses your remaining teeth to support the bridge in place, as opposed to placing implants into the teeth. A dental crown is placed next to the missing teeth to finalize the bridge.
Getting a tooth-bridge requires the adjacent teeth to be filed in order to make room for the crown, and this does come with a risk of infection or damage over time.
If you have missing front teeth, a resin-retained bridge may be more appropriate. Unlike a fixed tooth-bridge, this option doesn’t require the support of existing teeth. Instead, it attaches to the adjacent teeth on either side of the gap.
Resin-retained bridges are cheaper but they are less durable than tooth-bridges.
Removable Dentures
You can get partial or complete dentures. They are similar to dental implants but are one of the cheaper options for replacing your missing teeth.
Partial dentures can be used when there are just a few missing teeth. With partial dentures, additional teeth can be replaced over time and they are easy to repair if they get damaged. The downside is that they can often be uncomfortable and they require daily removal and cleaning to maintain.
Complete dentures may be necessary if there are several missing teeth and they are much more invasive to insert. Unlike partial dentures, complete dentures are used to replace most, if not all of the teeth.
Due to the metal clasps that are required to hold the dentures in place, they have less of a ‘natural’ look than other tooth replacement options. However, they are one of the cheapest options and is still functional and aesthetic when you’re looking to restore your smile.
3 Dental Options to Replace Missing Teeth
Missing teeth is probably more common than you think. Many people are missing teeth towards the back of their mouths, making it pretty unnoticeable.
But when you have missing teeth in the area of your mouth that is exposed when you smile, it’s much more noticeable. For this reason, it may knock your confidence and leave you feeling self-conscious about your appearance.
Having missing teeth doesn’t only affect don’t only affect your appearance. Over time, it also starts to affect the alignment of the rest of your teeth and your overall jaw structure. This can lead to problems with speaking and eating.
There are many causes of missing teeth. The most common reasons are gum disease caused by a medical health condition or poor oral hygiene, or injury due to an accident.
No matter what the reason for your missing teeth, there are a few different options available to restore your smile. If you’re been avoiding the dentist for a while, it might be time to pay them a visit.
Here are three great dental options to replace missing teeth.
Dental Implants
Dental implants look and feel natural in your mouth. You can get dental implants for multiple missing teeth to restore your smile. They are one of the most popular methods of tooth replacement due to their long-lasting benefits.
Despite being one of the more expensive options, dental implants can last multiple decades if they are looked after correctly. They provide a permanent solution to replace one or more of your teeth.
Getting dental implants inserted does involve an invasive procedure where screws are initially placed into the root of your teeth. These screws act as an anchor to hold the implants in place.
The dental implants help to support the structure of the surrounding bone to prevent it from collapsing. This means your jaw structure and gum shape are maintained.
You’ll need a few months of recovery time after a dental implant procedure. When the recovery process is complete, your dentist will place a dental crown over the top of the dental implant to secure it further.
Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are another popular option to replace multiple missing teeth. Unlike some of the other methods of tooth replacement, dental bridges only require implants to be placed at either end of the row of missing teeth.
Instead, the replacement teeth are supported at either end of the bridge and the middle teeth require no screws. This is a less invasive option than dental implants and still provides a natural look and feel.
The downside to dental bridges is that they aren’t a permanent solution like implants are. They will need to be replaced at some point in the future and you’ll need to go for regular check-ups with your dentist.
There are a few different kinds of a dental bridge. A tooth-supported bridge uses your remaining teeth to support the bridge in place, as opposed to placing implants into the teeth. A dental crown is placed next to the missing teeth to finalize the bridge.
Getting a tooth-bridge requires the adjacent teeth to be filed in order to make room for the crown, and this does come with a risk of infection or damage over time.
If you have missing front teeth, a resin-retained bridge may be more appropriate. Unlike a fixed tooth-bridge, this option doesn’t require the support of existing teeth. Instead, it attaches to the adjacent teeth on either side of the gap.
Resin-retained bridges are cheaper but they are less durable than tooth-bridges.
Removable Dentures
You can get partial or complete dentures. They are similar to dental implants but are one of the cheaper options for replacing your missing teeth.
Partial dentures can be used when there are just a few missing teeth. With partial dentures, additional teeth can be replaced over time and they are easy to repair if they get damaged. The downside is that they can often be uncomfortable and they require daily removal and cleaning to maintain.
Complete dentures may be necessary if there are several missing teeth and they are much more invasive to insert. Unlike partial dentures, complete dentures are used to replace most, if not all of the teeth.
Due to the metal clasps that are required to hold the dentures in place, they have less of a ‘natural’ look than other tooth replacement options. However, they are one of the cheapest options and is still functional and aesthetic when you’re looking to restore your smile.
