Nobody plans to lose a tooth, and most of us hope that we’ll keep all our teeth for a lifetime. But life throws us curveballs, and millions of people today are missing at least one tooth.
In most cases, you can avoid tooth loss by brushing, flossing, and staying current with your routine dental exams and cleanings. If you lose a tooth, don’t spend a lot of time feeling bad about the situation. Your Manhattan Beach and Woodland Hills dentists offer more ways than ever to handle missing tooth replacement!
Dental Implants in Woodland Hills and Manhattan Beach, CA
The best teeth are natural, but dental implants are the next best. They’re the only dental prosthetic that replaces an entire tooth—including the root—making them just as stable as your own teeth. Your dentist can place a single implant to replace one missing tooth or several to replace multiple missing teeth.
Ask your dentist about implant-supported dentures.
Pros:
- A missing tooth can be replaced without compromising neighboring teeth.
- Implants do not decay and are easy to care for.
- Implants help preserve bone. After a tooth is pulled, the bone disappears or shrinks where the tooth used to be. Replacing the root with an implant helps preserve the bone.
Cons:
- Implants are initially more costly than other tooth replacement options.
- Unlike bridges and partials, the amount of bone present can affect your candidacy for implants. You may need bone grafting.
- There is a healing period (called osseointegration) where you are without a tooth while the body works on healing around the implant.
Dental Bridges Close Smile Gaps
Your dentist may also recommend a dental bridge to replace one or two missing teeth from the same area of your mouth. A bridge is designed as a unit consisting of an artificial tooth that sits in the gap and crowns attached to adjacent teeth on either side for support.
Pros:
- Most insurance plans traditionally cover bridges.
- They can typically be made in about two weeks.
- You leave our dental office with a temporary replacement for the missing tooth. There is no waiting.
Cons:
- The adjacent (abutment) teeth must be shaved down so that crowns can be placed on them to hold the fake tooth.
- Since a bridge is one piece, flossing is a bit more complicated. Using a floss threader to pull the floss under the restoration tooth and the surrounding area would be best.
- A bridge typically needs to be replaced every 10 to 15 years.
Removable Full and Partial Dentures in Manhattan Beach and Woodland Hills
If you’re looking for an economical solution to replace one or more missing teeth in different areas of your mouth, partial dentures are designed to fit around existing teeth to complete your smile. Removable partials are held in place with clasps that hook onto the remaining teeth.
Complete removable dentures are an excellent, time-tested tooth replacement for those missing all the teeth in their upper arch, lower arch, or both. Modern dentures are customized to complement your smile and look natural.
Pros:
- Dentures and partials are the most economical options for tooth replacement.
- Your investment is the same regardless of how many teeth are replaced.
- Dentures and partials are one of the fastest ways to restore a smile.
Cons:
- Chewing efficiency may be reduced with anything removable.
- Dentures need replacing approximately every decade.
- Dentures do not support jawbone health.
Implant-Retained Dentures
Your dentist places approximately four to six dental implants in your jaw and attaches a denture to them. This leaves you with a complete smile that looks natural and replacement teeth that stay put. You’ll not need a dental implant for every lost tooth.
Pros and cons are the same here as with single dental implants.
Schedule an Appointment to Learn More at Modern American Dentistry
If you’re ready to say goodbye to gaps in your smile, call Modern American Dentistry in Manhattan Beach or Woodland Hills to schedule an appointment to learn more about your tooth replacement options.