If you are missing one or more teeth in your mouth, you have a number of options to consider when it comes to how you are going to fill those empty spaces. The most recommended treatment options today often involve the use of dental implants to take the place of missing teeth. This is the case whether you need to replace a single tooth or have a span of teeth that need to be replaced.
Dental Implants Replacing Missing Teeth
For single teeth that are missing, there are a number of options. A dental bridge can be constructed that has a false replacement tooth, or pontic, in the middle of one or two caps on either side to hold it into place. In this procedure, the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth need to be filed down in order to have a crown or cap placed on them to serve as the anchors for the new tooth. The replacement tooth is attached to these crowns so it remains permanently in place when the crowns are affixed to the filed-down teeth.
When a dental implant is used instead of a bridge, it offers a number of benefits. For one, no additional work has to be done to the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth. This means that all you have to worry about is replacing the tooth where there is a space and not having the structure of the surrounding teeth compromised in order to prepare them for the supporting crowns. Additionally, since the implant is embedded into the jawbone, it maintains the function of the bone and therefore reduces the likelihood that the bone will atrophy over time and result in possible bone loss.
Dental implants are not only a good solution when a single tooth needs to be replaced, but also when multiple teeth require replacement. If a series of adjacent teeth have been lost or need to be pulled due to severe damage or decay, an implant can serve as the anchoring base for a series of teeth rather than just a single crown. This is done by attaching a partial denture or bridge to the implant so the fabricated span of teeth can be firmly implanted into the mouth. If one side of the space has a strong and healthy natural tooth, that tooth can serve as the anchor on the other side, but if the span is too long, more than one implant may be used to serve as anchors.
Even for individuals in need of a full denture spanning the entire upper or lower jaw, implants can provide a welcome alternative to removable appliances. By strategically placing a number of implants in the jaw, the full span of fabricated teeth can be effectively and permanently secured in the mouth. In most cases, the maximum number of posts needed to secure a full span of teeth is four.
When natural teeth are missing and need to be replaced, patients have a number of options to consider. Whether a single tooth requires replacement or a full span of teeth along the upper or lower jaw, dental implants can securely anchor replacement teeth in the mouth while also maintaining the strength of the underlying bone.
For more information about dental implants, contact Park Dental Care in Queens at 718-274-1515.
