Tooth loss can affect us for a number of reasons. Whether you suffered from advanced gum disease, needed a tooth extraction, or sustained impact trauma to the mouth, you might now have one or more missing teeth. A missing tooth can detract from the look of your smile. But it could also put you at risk of secondary oral health concerns.
A dental professional can treat missing teeth with restorative dental solutions. If you have several missing teeth, your dentist can develop a customized treatment plan to replace multiple teeth and complete a full restoration of your smile. Read on to see how your dentist can restore your smile if you have lost more than one tooth.
How Will My Dentist Replace Several Missing Teeth?
Just as everyone has a unique smile, the tooth loss and other dental damage they may sustain can be just as individualized. When you and your dentist consult to develop a treatment plan to replace your missing teeth, you can count on a personalized approach to accomplish your specific dental goals.
If you have lost several teeth in a row, you can restore your smile using one fixture: a dental bridge. The removable dental bridge features a row of three or more prosthetic teeth that clasps onto the surrounding teeth to securely replace teeth. Many people appreciate the flexibility of removing an oral appliance in this way.
However, other patients may prefer a fixed dental bridge that can only be taken out of the mouth by a dentist. This device uses two titanium post anchors – one for each end of the bridge prosthetic. A dentist surgically places them into the jaw. They support the false teeth to give reliable structure, enhanced appearance, and renewed oral function.
Can I Receive More Than One Dental Implant?
Dental bridges are useful fixtures to assist patients after tooth loss. But some people have lost teeth in multiple areas of their mouth. They may need more devices than a single bridge in order to fully restore their smiles.
Your dentist can give you more than one dental implant to replace all missing teeth if needed. You can even receive all these implants within one treatment. Whether you need a bridge, a single implant, or an implant-secured full denture, your dentist can give you all the anchors you require in one surgery.
Once these surgical sites heal, your dentist will place the prosthetic teeth. This gives you the completed, beautiful smile you have been dreaming of. With proper care and maintenance, your dental implants may last a lifetime.
If patients prefer a removable tooth replacement option, they can ask their dentist about full and partial dentures. These devices are custom-made to give a natural, gorgeous look with restored function to the patient’s smile. This one appliance uses support from remaining teeth to replace any missing teeth within your arch. Though reliable, dentures require replacement every five years or so.