IMPLANTS

Missing teeth options

There are several treatment options for a missing tooth, the first being no treatment/no replacement.  Results of not replacing a tooth include adjacent teeth drifting into the space, resulting in a non-ideal bite and possibly leading to muscle and joint problems in the future (sometimes referred to as TMJ disease).  Gum disease may also develop around the missing tooth space.

A quick, relatively inexpensive way to replace a missing tooth is a partial denture; this is a removable appliance with a fake tooth attached to it.  The partial may have some movement to it when chewing, and is sometimes used more for cosmetic reasons.

A "fixed" option for replacing a tooth is when the replacement does not come in and out of the patient’s mouth.  A fixed option for a missing tooth is a bridge.  Similar to a crown, a bridge requires the teeth on either side of the space to be trimmed to mini teeth.  The bridge is cemented on each of the adjacent teeth with a fake tooth in the middle, and it is all one unit.  This is a good option if the teeth on either side of the space have large fillings, because the bridge now serves two functions – it replaces a missing tooth and protects teeth weakened by previous fillings.  Because they are one unit and soldered together, bridges can be challenging to clean.

The option that is now considered the standard of care by most dentists is an implant.  An implant is the closest dentists can get to a real tooth.  An implant replaces the root of a tooth as well as the crown of the tooth (the part that is seen in the mouth).  An implant is easier to clean than a bridge, and it cannot get a cavity because it is made of metal and porcelain.  Furthermore, implants are the perfect solution when adjacent teeth are "virgin teeth" (healthy and devoid of any fillings) because trimming them down for a bridge is contraindicated.  An implant also keeps the surrounding bone healthy because the supporting tissues recognize it as part of the body, and bone continues to deposit around it.

Contact Dr. Lawson for more information.