Best Options for Missing Tooth Replacement
We know that missing teeth can cause both physical and emotional damage. Physically, missing teeth can cause bone loss, infection, and other problems in your jaw and mouth. Emotionally, you might feel self-conscious and stop smiling if you are missing one or more teeth. Fortunately, there are a number of options for replacing missing teeth, including bridges and implants.
Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are prosthetic teeth that are used when one or two teeth are missing in a row. They consist of a carefully fitted small set of fake teeth that will cover gap made by your missing teeth. Bridges are anchored on the teeth that are next to the gap. Because of this, your dentist will need to file and shape the adjoining healthy teeth in order to fit the bridge over them. Many people do not want to compromise other healthy teeth to fix missing ones, and because of this, oftentimes, the “gold standard” of replacing missing teeth is considered to be dental implants.
What are dental implants?
A dental implant is a small titanium screw which is surgically inserted into the jaw to promote natural tooth growth there. These "root implants" are a great long-term solution for replacing missing teeth, making your smile look as natural as your new teeth before they were missing. The implants are surgically placed into the jawbone. The implant integrates very successfully with the jawbone after a small healing - but we can insert them into the bone immediately below the gums for faster results. Once they have healed and become part of the jawbone through the growth of your natural bone tissue, they can be fitted with one of several dental crowns, giving you a lifetime of complete dental health and a natural feeling.
How do you get implants?
You will receive a series of treatments - one appointment for implant surgery, three or four follow-up sessions to crown the implant. The crown is the actual prosthetic tooth, which fits over the implant post and looks the same as a natural tooth. You get all the functional and aesthetic benefits of a natural tooth. Your dentist will prepare a mold (or "casting") of your teeth and "cast" the crown to copy the structure of your teeth. The crown will then be placed on the implant with a special glue. A dentist may need to remove the crown later if you want to change the color of the teeth
Are implants painful?
After surgery, any discomfort you feel is caused by the stitches you get. They will be removed after a day. The next day a simple toothpaste is supposed to treat any discomfort you may have. After the transplant, a "tear" shape will form for several days.
With implants, your dentist or surgeon does not need to prepare or grind adjacent teeth to stabilize your dentures, as happens with bridges. A dental implant grows along with the jaw over time, and therefore does not slip like a prosthesis. Dental implants are a permanent solution when it is necessary to replace one or more teeth in different areas. Implants also protect the jaw, something bridges cannot do.