It’s always disappointing when you’ve lost a tooth, but at least with advances in dental technology and practices, there are more options than ever to replace said tooth and get your smile back to normal. We at Mid Wilshire Dentistry want you to have as much information as possible about your options so that you can choose the right procedure for you.
Potential tooth replacement options include:
Removable Partial Denture
Missing your front teeth can be an especially embarrassing problem to have because they’re so constantly visible. A removable partial denture is worn during the day to replace one or more missing teeth. Since these dentures are removable, you can (and should) take them out at night to soak in a cleaning solution. But since a removable partial denture does not require the filing down or reshaping of any surrounding teeth, it’s typically one of the more economical options. But in some cases, your partial denture may require metal clasps to keep in your mouth, and these clasps may be visible when you talk or smile.
Temporary Denture
Also known as a “flipper” because you can flip it out easily, a temporary denture is a short-term solution for a missing tooth. Used when a tooth is planning to be restored with a bridge or implant in the future, temporary dentures have many of the same qualities of a removable partial denture but are less sturdy and less expensive.
Bridge
A suitable option when you have enough surrounding teeth to support it, a bridge is a fixed solution that doesn’t come out and is cemented to the mouth. When getting a bridge, your dentist will cut down the teeth on either side of the missing tooth to attach your replacement tooth or teeth. While this can lead to the filing down of perfectly healthy teeth, it can also kill two birds with one stone if adjacent teeth required filling or crowns to begin with. A bridge can replace one, two, or more teeth as long as there are enough surrounding teeth to support it.
Dental Implant
Similar to the feel and behavior of a natural tooth, a dental implant is the most permanent solution to a missing tooth. The process includes installing a metal abutment into your jaw and gum line which will hold your eventual replica tooth. Dental implants do not require surrounding teeth to be altered.
There are many different ways to replace your missing teeth. If you’d like more information on them, feel free to contact Mid Wilshire Dentistry at 213-550-2357 today.
It’s always disappointing when you’ve lost a tooth, but at least with advances in dental technology and practices, there are more options than ever to replace said tooth and get your smile back to normal. We at Mid Wilshire Dentistry want you to have as much information as possible about your options so that you can choose the right procedure for you.
Potential tooth replacement options include:
