What Treatments Are There for Missing Teeth
Heringer Dentistry is a leading dental care center helping patients in the greater Bismarck area have the healthiest smiles possible. We offer a holistic approach to family dentistry, using cosmetic and restorative procedures to help patients achieve total wellness.
Many patients who come to the practice have experienced varying degrees of tooth loss. Let's take a moment to consider the options for addressing tooth loss.
Problems Caused by Missing Teeth
Missing teeth can cause a number of cosmetic issues as well as serious problems with dental health and wellness.
With regard to aesthetics, the gaps caused by missing teeth can be glaring, particularly if you are missing a front tooth or one of the prominent teeth in your smile. This can cause you to feel self conscious about laughing, smiling, and speaking, even around people you have known for many years.
With regard to dental wellness, missing teeth can cause bone loss in the jaw over time and can also cause gum recession. This tissue loss can chance the aesthetics of your face around the lips and cheeks. In addition, tooth loss can lead to misalignment of your remaining natural teeth, causing major changes to the look of your smile.
Dental Bridges for Missing Teeth
Dental bridges are a good option for patients who are missing a tooth or a few teeth in a row. The dental bridge latches around your remaining tooth structure to remain in place. With a dental bridge, patients can bite, chew, and smile again with renewed confidence.
Dental bridges tend to be most ideal for people who are missing a tooth or a few teeth, so long as there are enough teeth adjacent to the tooth gap to latch around.
Dentures for Missing Teeth
When a person is missing many teeth in a row, a bridge is no longer a viable option to consider. Instead, it's important to consider getting a partial denture or a full denture. Dentures will restore a much larger gap between teeth. They are held in place by bracing around the jawbone and gum tissue in the area of the tooth gap.
Partial dentures are ideal when patients have lost many teeth and are no longer candidates for a bridge. A full denture may be considered instead when a patient is missing most or all of his or her teeth.
Dental Implants for Missing Teeth
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that are anchored into place in the jawbone and gum tissue. These posts help stabilize dental appliances, providing a level of stability that is comparable to natural tooth roots. With dental implants in place, bone loss and gum recession are no longer problems; the dental implants provide the bone and gum with some structure to remain around.
Dental implants can support bridges, dentures, and even individual crowns when a person is just missing a single tooth.
Which Treatment Options Are Right for Me?
To find out which treatment option is most ideal for you and your needs, it's important to stop by for a consultation at our practice. This will give you a chance to learn more about all of the treatments for missing teeth and how they can help you.
Learn More About Your Restorative Dentistry Options
For more information about your many treatment options for missing teeth, be sure to contact our advanced dental care team today. The team at Heringer Dentistry looks forward to your visit and helping you achieve the healthiest smile possible.
