There are various things to consider when exploring your missing tooth replacement options. Factors like your budget, how many missing teeth you have, and the location of the missing teeth determine which teeth replacement restoration works best for you.
Some of the different oral prosthetics that can be used to replace missing teeth include dentures, bridges, and implants. There are also several hybrid oral prosthetics like implant-supported dentures.
Getting lost teeth replaced usually starts with a dental consultation. During the appointment, the dentist will go over the patient’s medical history, their budget, and what they want out of their replacement teeth.
The patient’s jaw and teeth are examined to determine which tooth replacement options would be ideal for them. For example, a person with three missing teeth in a row might be better off with a dental bridge instead of replacing all three missing teeth with implants.
Some of the oral prosthetics that might be recommended once a patient has been evaluated by a dentist include:
Implants are metal rods or screws that are inserted into the jawbone to serve as bases for dental restorations like crowns. They are the closest thing to real teeth as far as oral prosthetics are concerned. The implant fuses with tissues around it via osseointegration, making it virtually as stable as a real tooth. Implants are usually made out of titanium, one of the strongest metals ever discovered, and are designed to last a lifetime.
An implant can be used to replace a single tooth, and it can be combined with other prosthetics to replace multiple teeth. For example, implant-supported dentures can be used to replace up to five teeth in a row. The implants are inserted at both ends of the space, and the artificial teeth of the bridge cover up the rest.
The main drawbacks of implants include taking up to six months to complete the treatment and the fact it requires oral surgery. Some people are simply not healthy enough for surgical treatments.
Dentures are the most economical missing teeth replacement option, and they can be used to replace missing teeth in as little as two weeks. Getting dentures is also the least invasive process since it does not require any surgical procedures like implants or altering healthy teeth as is the case with crowns.
Getting dentures usually takes two trips to the clinic. The first visit is used to take an impression of the patient's teeth. The impression goes to a lab where technicians make the patient’s custom dentures. Patients come back for a second appointment once the customized dentures are ready.
Dental bridges are in between implants and dentures in terms of cost. They are more stable in the mouth than dentures, but they do not provide the bone-preserving properties of implants. One of the biggest drawbacks of bridges is making alterations to the teeth closest to the space left by missing teeth. The two teeth closest to the gap are used to anchor down the artificial teeth of the bridge.
Ready to get rid of the hole in your smile? Call or visit our New York clinic to set up an appointment.
Request an appointment here: https://newyorkdmd.com or call New York DMD at (917) 284-9680 for an appointment in our New York office.
Patients can have a missing tooth for a number of reasons. Accidents, infection or decay can cause a tooth to become non-vital and may require it to be extracted. The way the tooth was lost does not matter as much as the need to replace it. Missing teeth can cause patients to feel self-conscious or…
At one point or another, anyone who has ever been to a dentist will have to undergo one or more oral surgery procedures to fix their oral health problems. Even though it might sound scary to a patient, it is something that dentist do very often, so there is no reason for concern.Some of the…
Dentists recommend root canal therapy when decay, trauma or infection invades the tooth nerves. Root canal treatment is a viable attempt at saving a tooth that would otherwise be removed. Although many people think removing the tooth is the way out, tooth removal is almost always costlier in the end and may cause issues for…
Looking for more information on oral surgery procedures? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, oral surgical procedures involve the incision, excision, or reflection of tissue that exposes the normally sterile areas of the oral cavity. A few examples of oral surgery procedures include implant surgery, tooth extractions, and performing any necessary gum…
A dentist might recommend root canal therapy if you have a badly damaged, decayed, or infected tooth. The procedure targets narrow openings at the roots of teeth – called canals – that contain nerve fibers and blood vessels that provide sensation and nutrients to teeth.These nerves play an important role in the development and health…
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that bond with natural bone to support one or more replacement teeth. Dental implants can give patients functional, natural-looking teeth to help them feel more comfortable and confident in their daily activities. In addition, dental implants can last for many years with the proper care and maintenance.If you need…