What Are Your Options for Teeth Replacement?

Are you having a tooth extracted by your dentist? Perhaps you lost a tooth during a basketball game? Regardless, you’re going to need replacement teeth. 

The question you have is: what are the different options for teeth replacement? There are a number of options to choose from, each of which has its own benefits and drawbacks. Let’s discuss them all in detail below, shall we?

Dental Implants

If you want permanent tooth replacement, you should opt for dental implants. Dental implants include a metal rod that is implanted into the jawbone. This serves as the synthetic tooth’s root and holds the synthetic tooth in place. 

While you might sometimes need to replace the synthetic tooth portion of the implant, the rod will remain in place. As such, you can seamlessly add a new synthetic tooth when needed. 

Dental implants are on the expensive side. However, they act like real teeth and blend in aesthetically as well. For more information on dental implants, go to stlouiscosmeticdentist.com. 

Dentures

If you’re missing a large number of teeth, you could opt for dentures. Dentures consist of an array of synthetic teeth, all of which are connected to a gum-colored base. 

These fit over the jaws and can be taken out as needed. While they’re not permanent, they do last a good 10 years or so and can be replaced with ease. 

There are both full and partial dentures available. Full dentures are designed for the entire mouth. Partial dentures are only meant to cover small areas, for example, half of the top row of teeth. 

Bridges

Let’s say that you lose 2 or 3 teeth that sat directly next to one another. If you wanted to replace them, you could easily do so with a bridge. 

A bridge contains multiple synthetic teeth connected to a single base. This base is inserted into the area where the teeth are missing and is either connected to an implanted rod or attached to the adjoining teeth for stability. 

Bridges last 5 to 7 years and are on the affordable side. They will not only enhance the aesthetics of your teeth but maintain your ability to chew and speak as well. 

If you go with an implanted bridge, it will behave just like a standard dental implant. So, while you’ll have to replace the synthetic teeth, you likely won’t have to replace the implanted rod. 

As far as tooth-connected bridges go, you should know that the adjoining teeth might need to be filed so as to allow for a snug fit. This leaves a risk of infection forming in the future. 

There Are Many Options for Teeth Replacement

In truth, there are many options for teeth replacement. So, do your due diligence and pick the option that best suits your circumstances. 

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