You’re Missing Teeth? Here’s Your Treatment Options
You can experience missing teeth for a variety of reasons:
- Tooth Trauma
- Hereditary Conditions like Hypodontia
- Periodontitis (Gum Disease)
- A Side Effect from Prescription Drug-Use
- Tooth Decay
- Poor Oral Health
- And more
When it comes to replacing a missing tooth, you have many options to explore.
Removable Dental Appliances
First, the most common and affordable replacement options are removable dental appliances. There are several types of removable options to choose from depending on the amount of missing teeth you have.
Dental Flipper
A dental flipper is a custom-made removable dental appliance that’s lightweight and designed to replace one or more missing teeth. Flippers are typically made with acrylic dental material and are designed to match your neighboring teeth for a seamless appearance.
A dental flipper can be a great short-term option for patients that have recently lost a tooth.
However, dental flippers also have their own limitations. With a dental flipper, you can restore the appearance of the missing tooth but not the functionality. A flipper does not have the same bite strength as a natural tooth. As a result, you will often need to remove your flipper prior to eating to avoid damaging your appliance.
Dental Partial
A Partial or Partial Denture is a custom-made dental appliance that’s similar to a flipper, but made with stronger material. This option is typically made with porcelain, acrylic or a mix of cast metal framework. Therefore, a Partial is much stronger than a dental flipper and offer a much more secure and comfortable fit.
Dental partials can last anywhere from 5 to 10 years with proper care and maintenance. Additionally, with greater durability — you’re able to eat with less concern for damaging your appliance.
Full Dentures
Dentures are removable appliances that replace an entire arch of missing teeth including the upper, lower or full mouth. Dentures partially restore function of the bite. In addition, Dentures offer facial support and aesthetics. Dentures are usually made of acrylic and fit over the gums using suction or adhesive to stay in place.
Dentures are removable, custom-made substitutes for significant tooth loss. Created using impressions of a patient’s mouth, dentures can be made to look just like natural teeth
If you’re missing most or all of your teeth, you may be a great candidate for dentures.
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Fixed Dental Appliances
A Fixed Dental Appliance offers greater long-term support than removable dental appliances. While removable dental appliances are more affordable, fixed dental appliances are a greater investment in your long-term dental health. Fixed Dental Appliances offer the greatest stability, longevity, functionality, appearance and more.
Single Dental-Implant
Dental Implants are a permanent restorative option for missing teeth that are fixed in the jaw bone and fused with titanium implants. Much like your natural teeth, implants are fixed with ‘roots’ that help stimulate the jawbone. Implants are ideal for missing teeth as they help prevent bone-loss.
Implants provide premium stability, restoring the full functionality of the missing tooth. Restoring the full functionality allows you to eat normally as you would with natural teeth.
Dental Implants, unlike removable dental appliances, are permanent, lasting up to 30 years or longer with proper care. Custom-made dental crowns are fixed to implants, providing a natural appearance.
Implant-Supported Bridge
An Implant-Supported Bridge, similar to a Traditional Dental Bridge can replace a single missing tooth or several missing teeth in a row. Implant Supported Bridges can last up to 30 years or even longer with proper care.
Implant Supported Bridges, unlike Traditional bridges, do not connect to natural teeth with dental cement. An Implant Bridge is permanently fixed in place through dental implants that provide long-term support, comfort, longevity and a natural appearance.
Implant-Support Denture
An Implant-Supported Denture is a dental treatment that fully restores several or all missing teeth. An Implant-Supported Denture is secured with 4 (All-on-4), 6 (All-on-6) or 8 (All-on-8) implants.
Additionally, implants are used to support fixed or removable dentures (Snap-On Dentures) and to maintain your jaw’s structural integrity following tooth loss. Implants repair the functionality and appearance of teeth that are damaged or missing. Implants help to preserve the bone from further deterioration offering long-term and even life-long assurance.
In the past, replacing an entire set of missing or damaged teeth was often done by implanting several implants into the jawbone. However, with the All-On method, bone loss is no longer a risk because there are fewer implants to be placed.
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