Tooth Replacement Options

When you have a lot of teeth missing, you need to get them replaced. The way you speak and chew and eat food will be affected, and by chewing in just one place, or in just one way, you will give yourself TMJ syndrome, pain in the neck, face and back, can develop digestive problems, and worst of all, can lead to further tooth loss. Once enough teeth are gone, you will not be able to speak without an impediment, will not be able to enjoy your favourite foods, and will be judged negatively by your peers, as many psychological studies show that people with visibly bad teeth or missing teeth are viewed in a negative light and are considered to be uglier and less trustworthy than those with a white, radiant smile. Here are some options to help you replace the missing teeth you may have.

Dental implants

Dental implants are the only real way to replace all of the tooth, to replace the entire tooth, as it were. Teeth are not just the part above the gum line: very many interesting and necessary anatomical parts are hidden just below the soft tissue of the periodontium. The tooth roots are anchored in the alveolus, and if there are no tooth roots in it, then the body absorbs the alveolus, which leads to further shifting and eventually loss of more teeth. To avoid this, the alveolus must feel that there is a tooth root in it, and dental implants are just this: artificial tooth roots, designed to trick the alveolus into staying healthy. This is why dental implants are the only true tooth replacement method, as they replace all of the teeth, because dental implants are fitted with an abutment and a dental crown, replacing all of the parts of the tooth.

Dental bridges

 

Dental bridges are a row of dental crowns, which are supposed to replace two or more teeth. These bridges come in many forms: some are removable, but most are not, some are anchored to the adjacent teeth while others rely on dental implants to hold them in place, and there are many different kinds. The crowns on these dental bridges can be made of standard metallic internal structure, or one of the several aesthetic dental crowns that are available, to make them look identical to real teeth.

Dentures

Dentures are usually removable, but not always. They are a row of crowns meant to replace an entire arch of teeth, or both of them. They can be stabilised with dental implants, they can be adhered to the gums, and some even use the force of suction to keep them in place. They come with artificial gum material and dental crowns, and always replace an entire row of teeth that are missing.