Which Options Are Excellent for Replacing Missing Teeth?

You start hunting for teeth replacement options the moment you lose one or more teeth from your mouth. A missing tooth or teeth can alter the appearance of your smile besides causing many other problems. Whether you lost the tooth to gum disease, severe tooth decay, or a genetic condition, the loss impacts the alignment of your teeth over time to cause many problems if you don’t get tooth replacements as soon as possible.

If you aren’t aware of the consequences of tooth loss, it helps if you understand even losing a single tooth can adversely impact your overall health and confidence. Missing tooth or teeth can affect your speech, ability to chew food, the integrity of your jawbone, besides causing your remaining teeth to shift position towards the empty spaces. Fortunately, there are many excellent options for missing teeth to restore your beauty and the lost functionality of your mouth.

This article looks at some excellent missing teeth replacement options to help you decide which one best suits your needs by providing the pros and cons of each replacement solution.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are the most common technique for replacing missing teeth. Dental implants are incredibly reliable replacements for your teeth looking and feeling like a natural tooth. Dental implants help replace single, multiple, or all the teeth you lost from any part of the mouth. Unfortunately, the tooth implant process is lengthy, requiring approximately 6 to 9 months of healing time from implant placement to artificial dental crown placement to replace your natural tooth.

• Benefits of Dental Implants:Dental implants are the most effective option for replacing missing teeth as they provide a natural appearance and feel. Your adjacent teeth are not involved and remain intact because dental implants are standalone restorations remaining permanent and lifelong replacements for your teeth.
• Downsides of Dental Implants:Dental implants are expensive, costing between $ 3000-$ 6000, and require surgery to embed the implant into the jawbone besides multiple appointments with your dentist for surgical procedures, a significant time for healing and recovery.

Fixed Dental Bridge

If you don’t want dental implants or cannot have them, you can consider a fixed dental bridge as a tooth replacement option because it is effective if you miss one or more teeth in the same area. Fixed dental bridges bridge the gap caused by a missing tooth by dental prosthetics or artificial teeth. The adjacent teeth to the absent tooth help attach the prosthetic using dental cement.

• Benefits of a Fixed Dental Bridge:a fixed dental bridge provides a realistic appearance and feels of a dental implant without surgery, making the process minimally invasive. A fixed bridge is an economical option than dental implants.
• Downsides of Fixed Dental Bridges:the neighboring teeth serving as abutments or supporting teeth need filing down to accommodate dental crowns for the artificial tooth increases the chances of infections later. Over time the abutment teeth suffer damages if you receive an ill-fitting bridge. Food particles beneath the bridge pose challenges to clean if you aren’t careful with brushing and flossing, leading to infections and bone loss.

Removable Partial Dentures

If you need replacements for all your teeth, your dentist might recommend complete removable dentures. However, if you must replace some of your teeth, you may be suitable for a removable partial denture. Removable partial dentures consist of replacement teeth attached to a natural-looking pink base. Removable partial dentures are comparatively a straightforward option to replace missing teeth, similar to dental implants. Removable appliances are clasped into their correct place, ensuring that the artificial teeth are held in the appropriate spots.

• Benefits of Removable Partial Dentures:If you need more teeth added to the partial denture later, if you lose more teeth, you can request your dentist to attach them to the removable appliance, saving time and money. These appliances are the most affordable options for replacing your missing teeth. Partial dentures are easy to repair or replace if required. The application of these appliances a straightforward, only requiring the addition of metal clasps.
• Downsides of Removable Partial Dentures:Discomfort is familiar with partial dentures. You must remove and clean the partial every day and remove them when sleeping. In addition, the partial appliance may not appear natural as dental implants because the metal clasps remain visible.

Whether you have lost teeth due to decay, gum disease, or injuries, talk to your dentist about the best options for replacing your missing teeth. The cost varies according to the replacement option and how many teeth you want to have replaced besides the location. The treatment options mentioned in this article are effective and, in most cases, will last for years or decades before needing replacements with excellent dental hygiene and care.