Categories: Restorative Dentistry

How a Restorative Dentist Can Replace Missing Teeth

There are several ways that a restorative dentist can replace missing teeth. Most people will lose one or more of their teeth at some point in their lives, and it can lead to a host of issues if they are not replaced.

Bone tissues need to be regularly stimulated to remain healthy, as is the case with muscle tissues. The bone structures around the socket that once held a tooth begin to break down when the tooth falls out. This jawbone deterioration can lead to changes to a person’s facial structures.

Also, not replacing a missing tooth can lead to the remaining natural teeth moving out of their proper alignment as your body tries to close up the hole.

Ways that a restorative dentist can replace your missing teeth

Let us take a close look at teeth replacement options that a restorative dentist might recommend for missing teeth.

1. Dental implants

Implants are popular oral prosthetics used in dentistry. They are typically titanium rods that serve as artificial roots for missing teeth. Crowns or other missing teeth solutions, like bridges and dentures, can then be attached to them.

The implant is surgically placed in the patient’s jawbone, and it fuses with tissues around it, becoming one with the patient’s jaw. Known as osseointegration, this process can take up to six months to be completed. Bite forces are transferred via the implant to the patient’s jaw whenever they bite on something, giving their jaw the stimulation that it needs to remain healthy.

Patients should be healthy enough for oral surgery to qualify for implants. People with health issues that can hinder their ability to heal from surgery, like diabetes, are evaluated individually.

2. Dental bridges

Just like their name implies, these restorations bridge the spaces between teeth. A bridge comprises two main parts: crowns to secure the restoration to the teeth closest to the space on both ends (called abutments) and artificial teeth called pontics.

The teeth that will be fitted with crowns are prepared for the restorations by removing enamel from their sides. This leads to a better fit with the crown, but this part of the treatment is irreversible. These teeth will always need restorations to protect them moving forward. The process of replacing missing teeth with a dental bridge can be completed in as little as two weeks.

3. Dentures

These are among the most affordable missing teeth solutions, and they can be used to replace a few teeth or an entire dental arch’s worth. These prosthetics rest on the gums and are held in place via suction. There is no need to make any alterations to a patient’s teeth when they are being fitted for dentures.