Options for Missing Teeth

Replacing Missing Teeth

Smile Makeovers

How teeth are lost

Poor oral hygiene. Not brushing twice a day or flossing daily, as well as missing your regular check-ups, lead to tooth decay, as it creates plaque and tartar to sit in your teeth. Acid from plaque erodes the enamel, thus creating cavities or gum disease and eventually making you lose your teeth.

Drinking and smoking. Drinking on a daily basis leads to a risk of tooth loss because alcohol irritates the gums and affects your immune system. Smoking lowers blood flow to your gums and have a major impact on your immune system so that bacteria take over.

Genetics. Tooth decay could be more common in some families than others, but if you take good care of your teeth with good oral health habits, you can win the battle.

Uncontrolled diabetes. If you don’t take your insulin properly, the excess blood sugars may destroy your oral health and slow your healing process. 

Effects of missing teeth

Missing teeth may lead to gum disease or temporomandibular joint disorders, as your teeth may shift and result in a bad bite. Besides, bone regression might appear, which is a disease that causes bones to lose density, thus becoming more likely to fracture. If you lose your tooth, it means that you lose your naturally beautiful smile, so not only your bite is thrown off, creating bone loss, but also we understand the aesthetics of your mouth is important for your self-confidence.

Treatment options for missing Teeth

Dental Bridges

Dental bridges are the right solution if you have one or more teeth missing because they bridge the gap between natural teeth, and fake teeth stay in the middle. They are fixed on either side of the gap to use your healthy natural teeth as anchors, and if they aren’t stable enough, we will need to put crowns. They are made of porcelain, Zirconia or a mixture of metal and porcelain.

The advantages of dental bridges is that you keep your healthy teeth from shifting, avoid concerns related to bite alignment, they are costlier than implants and faster than dentures. The cons are that they may require putting crown over your teeth as anchors and don’t last as long as implants.

Dentures / False Teeth

They are false teeth created to fit your mouth and gums. Being a non-invasive option, they replace your lost teeth, resolving problems with chewing and making the wearer appear to have all their natural teeth. They are made of acrylic, metal or nylon. Depending on your needs, we will offer a complete or a partial denture. There are implant-supported dentures as well. 

They are a way to restore full sets of teeth, they are aesthetically pleasing and cost-effective, and they are easy to maintain. However, they need to replace and adjust them over time.

Implant-supported dentures

They are a mix of dentures and implants, comprising a surgical procedure of six implants – normally titanium screws – with a denture fixed to it, so that it stays and doesn’t loosen as easy as dentures.

The pros are that they are very stable, strong and they last for decades. Dentures may move a little bit, but these stays fixed because implants hold the dentures in place. Nevertheless, they need surgical intervention to apply the implants.

Dental Implants

They are artificial tooth roots that replace your lost natural roots. During the surgical procedure, your dentist will implant them into your jawbone and stable a new prosthetic tooth on top of it. It will fuse with your jawbone, offering a natural look and a reliable option to restore your smile. They are made of titanium.

They are the most effective option to replace missing teeth, and they provide a natural look and feel. Adjacent teeth remain intact and are permanent. The cons are that they are expensive and require surgical procedures.

Full arch replacements

If you lose full arches of teeth, it will be difficult to eat, speak or even smile, and it may cause your bone to change. If you treat it properly, it will help your teeth function. This procedure is a restoration of your previous teeth, using dental implants and prostheses to recreate your teeth. It’s a stable solution to secure the teeth to the dental implants to restore your chewing and speaking ability.

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