3 Methods For Replacing Lost Teeth

A choice of dental procedures available at our Burton and Ashby dental practice to replace missing teeth.

There are a number of reasons why people want to replace missing teeth and these will vary according to each individual.

When visible front teeth have been lost, aesthetic concerns are usually the main reason, but even for the more hidden rear teeth, having a tooth missing can cause problems with eating, speech and can also result in a malocclusion; the misalignment of teeth.

Although the misaligned teeth may not be visible, having an uneven bite is likely to cause wearing of the teeth and even, eventually, breakages.

Whatever the reason though, patients at Alexandra Dental Care can rest assured that we have a solution which suits both their needs and their budget.

Dentures

Dentures are often the ‘go to’ choice for replacing lost teeth. Whilst they do have disadvantages compared to other options in that they are not as stable and require special care, they are an option for people for whom a budget is a major consideration. They may also be the best solution if the patient is still actively participating in a contact sport as they can easily be removed before a game and replaced afterwards.

Modern dentures can be tailored to the individual patient and have advanced in design and comfort compared to older style dentures.

Dental Bridge

A dental bridge offers a more permanent solution than dentures and allow the wearer to feel more relaxed in the knowledge that they will not become loose or even fall out, as dentures may, on occasions, do.

They also offer a better eating experience as harder foods are more easily eaten, unlike with dentures where many wearers avoid these foods altogether.

To attach a bridge, dental crowns are fixed to the teeth either side of the gap and these are then ‘bridged’ with a solid crown in between and firmly attached using dental cement.

Provided that good care is taken of a dental bridge, these should generally be expected to last in the region of ten years, offering a good long term solution for a missing tooth.

Dental Implants

These are the so-called ‘gold standard’ of tooth replacement and also offer the best experience for the patient, once placed.

By placing the titanium dental implant into the jaw bone, which incidentally, whilst sounding painful, causes no more discomfort than other invasive dental procedures, the bone will grow around the implant over a short period of time and this has the effect of holding it tightly in place.

Once this has happened, the dentist at our Ashby and Burton dental practice will then attach a prepared dental crown, via an abutment, onto the implant.

Although this is the most expensive of the three options, once placed the implant should last for twenty years or more and offers a strength and functionality almost the same as a natural tooth.

If you have a lost a tooth and would like to discuss which option would be most suitable for you, please call Alexandra Dental Care on 01283 216347.

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