The dental industry offers several tooth replacement solutions such as dental implants in Boca Raton, dentures, and bridges. These tooth replacement methods have been around for decades, and you can expect them to be available for years to come since more and more Americans are losing their teeth by the day.
Contrary to popular belief, tooth loss doesn’t just come with age. Adolescents and young adults can prematurely lose their permanent teeth due to neglect, facial trauma, and accidents.
According to the American College of Prosthodontics (ACP), around 178 million Americans have at least one missing tooth, while 40 million have lost all their teeth. What are the consequences of tooth loss, and why do you need to replace them?
Tooth loss affects your speech, nutrition, and self-esteem and puts you at risk of oral health complications. When you lose your teeth, you should let your dentist know about it so you can discuss your options.
A single missing tooth is a cause for concern. If you don’t replace a missing tooth, the surrounding teeth will move and shift out of position, altering their alignment. Tooth loss also predisposes you to bone loss. The best way to solve this problem is to replace it with an artificial tooth.
One of the most popular tooth replacement options today is a dental implant. Based on a report by the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, there are over three million Americans wearing implants, and every year, 500,000 people are added to the list.
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots made of biocompatible metal. It’s a piece of metal shaped to look like a screw. Since it’s biocompatible, there’s very little chance that your body will reject it. Attached to the metal screw is an abutment followed by the crown.
Your oral surgeon will carefully place the screw within your jawbone to function like tooth roots. It securely anchors the dental crown above it. Compared to bridges and dentures, dental implants resemble natural teeth in terms of appearance and function.
There are two types of dentures – partial and complete. A partial denture is ideal for people who have several missing teeth. Your dentures will feel bulky and uncomfortable during the first few days, but your mouth will get used to them over time.
The adjustment period can last up to a week or more. Nevertheless, once you’ve fully adjusted to your denture, it will ultimately feel like a part of you.
Complete dentures are for individuals who have lost an entire row of teeth. Each denture is carefully designed and fabricated to ensure that they accurately fit the exact contours of your mouth. Ill-fitting dentures can cause pain and discomfort.
A dental bridge is another popular tooth replacement solution. It’s highly in-demand because it’s not as expensive as dental implants, yet they look and feel like natural teeth. As the name implies, it functions as a bridge to fill in the space of missing teeth. It requires two crowns on either side of the gap.
The anchoring teeth are called abutment teeth and between them are false teeth called pontics. They can be made from different materials like gold or porcelain. As soon as your dental bridge is in place, you can expect a complete restoration of your smile and oral function.
Ultimately, it all boils down to your eligibility and preference. At 5th Avenue Dental, our team strives to transform your life by restoring your hope, health, and smile! We have everything you need to improve your smile and oral health, from routine dental checkups to tooth restorations. Contact us today for an appointment.
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