Options for Missing Teeth

22 April 2014

Options for Missing Teeth

Teeth are not just for biting into food but it also have to do with the way you look and talk. Missing a tooth may not be a big problem but missing many teeth can significantly affect the way you bite into food. When you have plenty of missing teeth, these can cause individual tooth to move and reposition along the gums creating spaces that would not have been there in normal circumstances. These spaces can cause food to be stuck between them which can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Both of these problems exacerbate and speed up the deterioration of your teeth.

When you are missing many teeth this can change the way your face “sits” in your facial bones making it look saggy. Missing teeth can also cause speech problems as this can also have an affect the way your tongue move inside your mouth when you talk. These things should make it necessary to consider some time-tested options for missing teeth.

Dentures

Dentures are one of the most common solutions to missing tooth or teeth. Partial dentures are used when there is a need to replace a tooth or a number of teeth. This option is popular because it can easily be maintained. Cleaning dentures is easy and with the right care it should last for a long time. Dentures are set on a plastic or metal framework. The colour of the false teeth is matched to the colour of your natural teeth so that it can sit naturally in your mouth. The synthetic parts of the denture are ideally hidden so that your smile can be as natural–looking as possible.

There are also full dentures for those who are missing all their teeth in the upper or lower jaw. Full dentures include a plastic plate with plastic teeth attached to it. The suction created by the saliva between the plastic plate and the palate allows it to stay in place. Facial muscles and even the tongue also help stabilize the dentures in place. Full dentures for the lower jaw is harder to put in place but a well made lower full denture should be stable enough in your mouth as it perfectly fits to the ridge of your gums.

Bridge

A bridge is an attachment that is commonly used for people who are missing a tooth or two. It is made of porcelain or metal. This option is more stable and is the best choice for people who are just missing a couple of teeth. Bridges are anchored securely to nearby natural teeth and are cemented in place so it cannot be removed but should provide a permanent solution for those who have minor missing teeth cases.

Dental Implant

Dental implants use a titanium rod that is screwed directly to one’s jawbone. This attachment will fuse with the bone completely in time providing a very stable “anchor” where false tooth or teeth can be attached into. Bridges and dentures can be screwed or clipped securely to implants providing for a more rigid placement. Dental implants can last for a long time which can easily offset its higher costs.