If you are missing teeth or are facing tooth loss, your dentist in Ajax will have explained why replacing these teeth is essential. Every tooth is designed to work harmoniously with its neighbours, and if even one is missing, then it negatively affects your dental health. Your main choices of tooth replacement include a dental bridge or dental implants.
Replacing Teeth with a Dental Bridge
A dental bridge is a fixed restoration supported by your natural teeth. It consists of crowns that are fitted over the teeth adjacent to the gap, and these support a missing tooth called a pontic. If you have a gap left by more than one missing tooth, then multiple pontics can be attached to the crowns, provided these teeth are strong enough to support your replacement teeth. A critical fact about dental bridges is that your dentist in Whitby must reshape the supporting or abutment teeth.
Preparing Teeth for a Dental Bridge
It is necessary to remove quite a bit of original tooth structure from these teeth to create sufficient room for the crowns. Otherwise, the crown supporting your dental bridge would look and feel very unnatural and bulky. Once these teeth have been reshaped, then there is no going back as they will always need protecting with dental crowns, even if you subsequently decide to have dental implants. Reshaping these adjacent teeth isn’t always a bad thing, as for example, if these teeth are already quite severely decayed or heavily filled then they may benefit from dental crowns. However, if they are strong, healthy and nicely shaped then you’ll find any dentist in Pickering is naturally reluctant to remove any tooth structure.
Replacing Teeth with Dental Implants
Unlike a dental bridge, dental implants don’t require any support from your natural teeth. Instead, they are self-supporting, consisting of a small titanium screw that is surgically inserted into your jawbone. The screw is specially designed to encourage new bone growth on and around it, anchoring it securely in place as it fuses with your jawbone. Dental implants can be used to support single implant crowns or even dental bridges where teeth are missing in the same location.
The Beneficial Effects of Dental Implants
The effects on your dental health and your smile are only beneficial! Dental implants protect your natural teeth, preventing unwanted tooth movements and they share the load created whenever you bite or chew food, preventing excessive wear and tear on your real teeth. They also protect your jawbone, preventing bone loss which naturally occurs after you lose teeth. Best of all, dental implants will look and feel just like your natural teeth.
Here at Durham Dental Solutions, we take tremendous care when designing all dental implant treatments in Newcastle. Every stage is meticulously planned, and the implants are placed using computer-guided surgery to provide you with the very best possible treatment outcome. Whether you’re replacing a single tooth or multiple teeth, dental implants are frequently the optimal long-term solution for tooth loss. With the right kind of care, your implants could last a lifetime. Some people may be slightly anxious about the thought of having implants inserted into their jaws, but you can rest assured that the process is surprisingly quick, and we do everything possible to ensure its smooth and comfortable, and we have a range of sedation options.
To discover which solution is best for your missing teeth in Clarington, contact us to talk to our friendly dental team.
