Your smile is an essential part of who you are and plays a pivotal role in your daily life. Exploring the best solutions for missing teeth can restore not just your smile, but also your confidence.
Here at Sacramento Surgical Arts, we understand that missing even one tooth can be traumatic. Missing several teeth can be devastating. In the short term, missing teeth can hinder clear speech and limit your diet. You may feel too embarrassed to smile and experience a lack of confidence, hindering your interactions with others. The long-term effects are even worse, putting you at greater risk for bone degeneration, facial collapse, the spread of infection to hard and soft tissue, and loss of even more teeth.
The good news is that there are many solutions available to you at our California office, and we are here to help you determine which one is right for you.
Implant Restorations
Did you know that people have been trying to replace missing teeth with implants for the last 4,000 years? How lucky are we to be alive during a time when we can create an artificial tooth that almost perfectly imitates natural teeth in form and function?
Implant restorations, also known as dental implants, are the gold standard solution for replacing missing teeth. The term implant refers specifically to a titanium post that is secured to the jawbone. A restoration, in the field of dentistry, is a life-like artificial tooth that is secured to the implant to create the illusion of a natural tooth.
Like natural teeth, restorations are permanent, functional, and aesthetically pleasing. It should also be noted that only solutions with implants can prevent jawbone degeneration and promote blood flow beneath the gums. However, you should know that the process can be lengthy and, in some cases, take upwards of a year, depending on your pre-existing health.
Dentures
There is no doubt about it, dentures have come a long way in the last several decades, and they do have several benefits many patients find quite attractive. Unlike the other options available to you, dentures do not require oral surgery. If you experience complications with your dentures, they can be easily modified and repaired.
Every day dentures become more realistic and customizable. Whether you are just replacing one tooth or several, we can make a prosthetic that works for you.
However, there are still some drawbacks to dentures. Patients will have to modify their diet and might struggle with certain pronunciations. These challenges occur because denture prosthetics are not as strong or as secure as your natural teeth. This movement generates friction, which can irritate the skin and cause sores.
Dental Bridges
A dental bridge is a prosthetic, artificial tooth, or even dental resin that is strategically placed in the empty pocket or pockets between either natural teeth or implants. The natural teeth or implants are referred to as posts, and they support the prosthetic, creating a metaphorical bridge that closes the once-empty gap in your arch. This option can be great for people who are only missing a few teeth.
Implant-Supported Dentures
An implant-supported denture is a hybrid solution for those who are missing all of their teeth in either or both of their upper or lower arches. There are many different types of implant-supported dentures, and so it is hard to speak broadly about this solution. Typically, implants will strategically be placed along the arch with enough bone mass to support the implant. After the implants are installed, a denture-like prosthetic will be attached to the implant.
Unlike normal dentures, implant-supported dentures are long-lasting, durable, and fully functional. They are also aesthetically life-like. Most implant-supported dentures do not need to be removed and are a permanent solution to significant tooth loss.