Make Your Smile Complete: Treatment Options for Missing Teeth
If you are missing one or more of your natural teeth, you owe it to yourself to explore the many excellent restorative dentistry options available for replacing missing teeth for reasons that go beyond making your smile whole once again. Of course, the appearance of your smile is important, and modern restorative dentistry is as concerned with returning form to a smile as it is with returning function and health. However, the oral health - and overall health - consequences of leaving missing teeth untreated ultimately outweigh the cosmetic consequences.
When a tooth is lost, the teeth adjacent to the space once occupied by that tooth begin to shift toward the gap, creating a host of orthodontic issues. Furthermore, the body interprets the loss of the tooth as a sign that the tissues that once supported the tooth - namely, the gum and jaw bone tissues - are no longer performing an important function in the mouth and therefore no longer in need of the body’s vital resources. As a result, these tissues fall into disrepair and start to degrade.
By replacing missing teeth, these oral health problems can be halted and in some cases even reversed. On top of that, patients emerge from treatment able to bite, chew, speak, and smile with renewed ease and confidence once again. This is why Dr. Burton Gooch offers a range of outstanding treatment options for missing teeth at his Birmingham, AL cosmetic and restorative dentistry practice.
If you would like to learn more about your treatment options for missing teeth, we urge you to schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Gooch today.
Which Treatment Options Does Dr. Gooch Offer for Missing Teeth?
There are several possible methods Dr. Gooch can use to replace missing teeth, including:
- Traditional fixed dental bridges: These dental bridges consist of one to three replacement teeth that are held in place by porcelain crowns attached to the natural teeth adjacent to the gap once occupied by the now-missing teeth. A fixed dental bridge provides a good long-term solution to missing teeth; by filling the space left by missing teeth, the bridge prevents the remaining natural teeth from drifting out of their optimal position. It also restores strength to the bite.
- Dentures: Traditional removable dentures are superior to their counterparts of the past in that they are made from stronger materials and are customized to fit more snugly in the individual patient’s mouth. They look, feel, and function more like natural teeth, although Dr. Gooch recommends that patients consider implant-retained dentures as an alternative.
- Dental implants: Dental implants offer the premier method of replacing missing teeth. These tiny titanium posts, when surgically embedded in the jaw, integrate with the bone tissue to serve as replacement tooth roots. Once they heal into place, they provide unrivaled support for individual crowns, dental bridges, or full sets of dentures. Patients can regain the full control over their oral functions with implant-supported restorations. With proper care, the restorations attached to dental implants can last for a decade or more, while the implants themselves can last for a lifetime.
Learn More about Treatments for Missing Teeth
To learn more about treatments for missing teeth, please contact the cosmetic and restorative dentistry practice of Dr. Burton Gooch today.