Are your missing teeth causing you distress?

There is a tooth replacement that is right for you!

Deciding how to deal with a missing tooth is never an easy decision. No one wanted this to happen in the first place! But knowing that your smile can be repaired will make you want to smile again! Deciding what the right choice is for you just takes a little education. And I am here to help with that.

Nicole was a 42 year old patient of mine who had a terrible fall that caused her to lose two teeth on the right side of her mouth. After her painful accident, Nicole was not looking forward to a dental procedure. She considered not having her teeth replaced. But once she met with me and learned about the different types of tooth replacement, she knew she could have her old smile back.

What Are Your Options?

• Dentures. Removable dentures have metal clasps that clip onto teeth to hold the device in the mouth. You will remove your dentures after eating to clean and care for them. This is an economical and easy way to deal with your missing tooth. It can take a bit of time to have your dentures made. There are full sets of dentures and also partial dentures.

• What will happen? You will come in for a consultation. We will take a full set of x-rays. We will make several impressions to create your dentures and get a personalized fit. As soon as your dentures are ready, you will come back for a fitting.

• Bridges. Tooth supported bridges rely on the adjacent teeth for support. A bridge is created between the two teeth adjacent to the missing tooth. These two adjacent teeth will hold the false tooth in place. This bridge will not come in and out, it’s is a permanent appliance in your mouth. Most people will not be able to tell that you have a false tooth. The look and feel of the bridge is so real. A permanent fixed bridge replacement will only work if your adjacent teeth are healthy.

• What will happen? You will come in for a consultation. We will give you a local anesthesia. Then we will prepare the teeth on either side of the missing tooth by re-contouring them so that a crown can be placed on each. The dental bridge will be affixed to the crowns. You will have a temporary bridge while your permanent bridge is being designed. Once affixed, you will come back for any necessary adjustments, and then we will cement the permanent bridge.

• Dental Implants. A dental implant is a replacement for the missing tooth. The replacement tooth actually looks and feels very much like a real tooth. This implant is affixed to the place where your missing tooth used to be. Whether you are missing one tooth, or several, you can have a dental implant. This option can take some time, but patients are very pleased with the outcome.

• What will happen? You will come in for a consultation. We will prepare the bone to receive the implant. The implant is a screw-like device that will be placed in the bone to root your new tooth. After your gum has healed, a special post with your new crown will be placed on the dental implant.

Nicole ended up choosing a dental implant. She wanted something permanent, and was prepared to spend the time and money necessary to get her beautiful smile back. I think she made the right decision, and I promise to help you get to the right decision for you too!

The first step is to schedule a free consultation, like Nicole did. Just click here to make an appointment with my office. We’ll evaluate your missing teeth and together decide what a realistic choice is for you.

Next week, we’ll look at the cost of dental implants and what the process will be if you choose this type of tooth replacement. Check next week for this interesting report!