When I had a badly decayed tooth extracted, I got a partial denture to fill in the gap. I didn't mind it at first, because I was just so happy to have my painful tooth out of my mouth. Over time, I began to get tired of taking it out at night. I asked my dentist if I was could get a dental implant, and he said that my gum disease did not make me a good candidate, but a fixed bridge may be a good option for me. I went with his suggestion, and I have no regrets. I love feeling like I have a real tooth again that I don't have to remove at night. I created this blog to remind other people with a missing tooth that they have many replacement options, and if one is not for you, then try another that may be right.
If you're missing a single tooth, you may assume that the best way to fix it is by having a single dental implant placed in your mouth. This may lead you to believe that if you need multiple teeth replaced, that you'll need an implant for every single tooth that is missing. This is not true, since dental implants can be used to support other tooth replacement methods to provide your new teeth with strength and stability. Here are two techniques that utilize the help of dental implants.
Bridges
A dental bridge is designed to replace a missing tooth when there are two healthy teeth that surround it. Crowns are placed on those surrounding teeth, which help suspend an artificial between them like a bridge. It can be a great way to replace a single missing tooth or multiple missing teeth all in a row.
A dental implant comes into play when there is not a healthy tooth to support either side of the dental bridge. The dentist will install a dental implant to act as the healthy, natural tooth, then use the dental bridge to fill in the remaining teeth. In some situations where there is a row of missing teeth, an implant can even be placed in the middle of the gap to help anchor two sets of dental bridges.
While a dental bridge will last between 5 and 15 years, know that the implant will last forever. The bridge can always be repaired or replaced while using the existing implants for support.
Dentures
Dentures help replace an entire row of teeth or specific teeth that are missing. The key difference with dentures is that they are removable, which makes it easier to maintain and clean the dentures over the years.
Dentures can work with dental implants by strategically placing the implant in a way that gives the dentures support. Even if a dental patient is missing an entire row of teeth, as few as four dental implants may be used to support the fake teeth. While dentures have a short lifespan and require replacement eventually, the dentist implants used can potentially last a lifetime. You won't have to go through the process of getting the implants again if you ever need new dentures.
These are just two ways that a dentist can use dental implants to replace your missing teeth. For more advice about how else dental implants can be used, be sure to schedule a meeting with a dental clinic, like New Image Dental.
Share19 November 2018
