The Truth About Your Tooth

Missing a Tooth? Start Here

A gap where a tooth once sat can be a sad situation. Fortunately, dentistry provides individuals with several choices when it comes to filling that gap. There are solutions to fit every budget and every situation, so read below to find out more.

The Most Natural and Carefree Option

Dental implants look and act just like natural teeth. The durability is owed to the way the faux tooth is implanted. Titanium posts anchor the tooth to your jawbone via your gums which provides a stable and long-lasting tooth replacement option.

Less Expensive and Still Natural-Looking

Fixed bonded bridges are the latest development and take old-fashioned bridges up a notch. Traditionally, bridges were attached to a cap or crown on either side of the missing tooth. Fixed bonded bridges are attached to the teeth on either side using only the back of the adjacent teeth. Bridges look best for back teeth and don't have to be removed to be cleaned. For a bonded bridge, the adjacent teeth must be healthy – if not, the traditional manner of placing a cap on the other teeth will be necessary.

Quick and Non-Invasive

If the rest of your teeth are healthy, a partial denture might be a good solution to replace one or two missing teeth. These partial dentures must be removed for cleaning but tend to be healthier for oral health than full dentures.

Two Options at Once

In some cases, implants and dentures work well together. Dentures are made more stable when they are anchored by implants so little to no denture adhesive is needed. Less denture material is needed so this option tends to be more comfortable for the wearer than full dentures.

The Full Mouth Solution

If a lot of teeth need to be removed, a full set of dentures may be the least expensive way to deal with missing teeth. Dentures must be removed for cleaning and may need relining and other maintenance over the years.

The Denture Alternative

Finally, full arch dental implants (also called all-on-four, or implant bridges) take bridges and implants and turn them into a full set of teeth. Implants are spaced out and then attached with bridgework to faux teeth. The implanted teeth provide stability and they don't need to be removed, are easy to keep clean, and are long-lasting.

To find out more about any of the above, speak to a dentist about what solution is right for you.