Missing one or more teeth ruins the appearance of the teeth and can make it difficult to chew food without being in pain. It can also affect one’s appearance if the missing teeth are not replaced quickly. Fortunately, there are quite a few options to choose from when it comes to replacing the missing teeth and we will take a look at these solutions for missing teeth.
How to replace your missing teeth
Some of the best replacement options for missing teeth include:
Dental implants
This is considered the most effective way to replace one or more missing teeth because it provides the closest thing to the natural teeth in terms of looks and functionality. The procedure involves fusing titanium posts to the jaw then attaching dental crowns to the top of the implants to replace the missing teeth.
The titanium posts hold the artificial teeth firmly in place, allowing the patient to eat without pain and to speak without impediment. However, dental implants are not for everyone. The surgical procedure requires the patient to be in good oral and general health, which ensures that the implants will be successful. People with health issues like heart disease, diabetes and cancer are not considered ideal candidates for the procedure.
Partial dentures
Like dental implants, partial dentures can be used to replace one or more missing teeth. Fixed partial dentures are attached to the mouth using dental implants, which serve as an anchor to hold the artificial teeth in place. With the implants holding the artificial teeth in place, the dentures will not move around in the mouth, allowing the patient to chew without pain and speak properly.
Removable partial dentures are also popular when it comes to replacing missing teeth. Unlike the fixed partial dentures, these can be removed to be cleaned or stored while sleeping. The artificial teeth are attached to a gum-colored plastic that is attached to the natural teeth using metal clasps that are connected to the plastic. Since the metal clasps are not as durable as dental implants, they tend to break after a while, which loosens the dentures in the mouth and can make it difficult to chew food or speak properly.
Complete dentures
These dentures are used when the patient is trying to replace all the teeth in their mouth. The dentures consist of an acrylic gum-colored base which holds the artificial teeth and is placed on the top of the gums and held in place using a dental adhesive.
Even though dentures improve the appearance of the teeth, more people are using other teeth replacement options because they tend to be more secure in the mouth and offer better functionality. Complete dentures frequently move around in the mouth when the adhesive starts to wear off and they take more time to get used to when it comes to chewing food and speaking.
Conclusion
Thanks to technological advances, there are plenty of ways to replace missing teeth and restore the appearance and functionality of your teeth. If you are interested in learning about solutions for missing teeth and teeth replacement options, schedule an appointment with your dentist to find the right replacement option for you.
Request an appointment here: or call Impressions Dental at (480) 814-8888 for an appointment in our Chandler office.