If you are suffering from tooth loss, you have a number of tooth replacement treatments available to you in this day in age. We know that it can seem overwhelming to evaluate all of your treatment options, which is why our Saint Louis dentists are here to help!
The denture is one tried and true way to replace a number of missing teeth all at once. Conventional dentures are designed to sit on top of the patient’s gum tissue. The base of the denture is customized to fit over the patient’s jawbone and gum tissue, and patients may use some denture adhesive to improve the fit.
Bridges, like dentures, sit on top of the gum tissue. However, bridges are held in place because they are attached—with small metal pieces—to the adjacent natural teeth. Bridges can be made in a variety of sizes, to replace any number of teeth.
The most recent development in the world of tooth replacement dentistry is the dental implant. This type of replacement tooth actually has a replacement tooth root as well as a crown. Dental implants are held in place with titanium screws that extend into the patient’s jawbone.
You can use individual dental implants—meaning one implant root and one crown—to replace single missing teeth. Alternatively, if you have consecutive missing teeth, you may choose to anchor a larger dental prosthesis, like a denture, with a few strategically-placed titanium screws. Regardless, your replacement teeth will stay in place permanently, and you’ll find that your restorations are stable and natural looking.
The titanium roots of the dental implants have an additional benefit of helping bolster adjacent natural teeth, and to help preserve healthy jawbone density. Dental implant roots help you avoid the jawbone deterioration and shifting teeth that often accompany tooth loss.
No matter what type of treatment you end up using, timely treatment can make all of the difference. As always, our Saint Louis dental implant dentists are here to give you any additional information and guidance that you may need. We look forward to speaking with you!