Living with missing or compromised teeth is problematic for many reasons. First, a compromised tooth may be causing you discomfort when you eat or chew. You also may feel self-conscious about the appearance of your smile if you have gaps between your teeth.
This is not to mention the impact missing teeth have on your dental health. A lost tooth means a lost root, which means your jawbone no longer has anything to support. Lack of a root to support results in bone deterioration, which can impact surrounding teeth and even change the appearance of your face, making you look older than you are.
All these things can add to discomfort and embarrassment about your smile and dental health. But the good news is that modern dentistry offers several tooth replacement options that restore your smile's function and aesthetics.
Today will give you the ultimate guide on options for restoring your smile when it's being plagued by missing or compromised teeth.
Step 1 - Determining Your Needs
Our dentists spend a lot of time with patients who need tooth replacement to determine their specific needs, goals, and lifestyle choices, allowing them to make recommendations to help patients achieve their smile goals.
During an evaluation, our dentists take x-rays and photos and examine your mouth and teeth. They're looking for healthy bone levels and overall general health to determine if you're a good candidate for dental implants.
Dental implants in Vallejo, CA, can be an ideal option for patients looking to replace one or multiple teeth. However, implants require enough healthy bone structure for support and good overall general health. Patients lacking the bone structure needed to support a dental implant successfully may benefit from a procedure designed to replace lost bone called bone grafting.
Step 2 - Explaining Your Options
It's essential to understand your options for tooth replacement so you can select the best one for your lifestyle and budget.
Dental Implants in Vallejo
Dentists consider tooth implants the best option for tooth replacement for various reasons, but one of the biggest is that an implant restores both the root and crown of your tooth, making it the next best thing to your natural tooth.
Your dentist carefully places the implant into your jawbone during a surgical procedure, allowing it time to heal. Then, because the implant is made from biocompatible titanium, it naturally integrates and fuses with your bone, creating sound support for your new tooth, a porcelain crown attached to the implant with an abutment. The fusing process is known as osseointegration, typically taking three to six months to complete.
One dental implant can support a single tooth replacement like a crown, and two implants can anchor a bridge. In contrast, four dental implants can securely support an appliance like a denture designed to replace an entire arch of teeth.
Dental Bridges in Vallejo
A dental bridge may be a good option for someone who isn't a dental implant candidate or doesn't want to undergo a surgical procedure. A bridge relies on two crowns as anchors to your healthy teeth that support one or more artificial teeth in between. Our dentists make your bridge out of ceramic porcelain and shade it to blend with and enhance your smile.
A bridge restores chewing function and keeps neighboring teeth from moving or shifting into the open spaces left by missing teeth. It also restores the aesthetic aspect of your smile.
Some downsides to a dental bridge are that it doesn't replace your root, which results in jawbone deterioration. Your dentist must also alter two healthy teeth to anchor your bridge correctly.
Full and Partial Dentures in Vallejo
Your dentist designs your complete denture to replace all teeth in your upper or lower arch and a partial denture to replace multiple missing teeth, filling in the gaps like a puzzle piece.
These appliances are removable, so you'll take them out at night for cleaning and soak them while you sleep.
A full removable denture stays in place with a snug fit and suction to your jawbone, and it'll need to be relined periodically to ensure proper fit. A partial denture uses metal clasps that anchor to your remaining teeth to stay in place.
Implant-Supported Dentures in Vallejo
Our dentists can use dental implants to anchor a bridge or secure dentures. Four carefully positioned dental implants can support a denture designed to "snap" into it. The implants secure the denture, so there's no slippage of your denture when you talk, laugh, chew, or eat. Patients enjoy the peace of mind implant-supported dentures provide!
Implant-supported dentures provide the added benefit of keeping your jawbone healthy and stimulated, preventing deterioration that occurs with traditional removable dentures. This means more stability and better longevity for your denture.
Are You Ready to Learn What's Possible for Your Smile?
Dr. Morgan Nordstrom and Dr. Emily Thai would love to talk with you if you're considering tooth replacement for your smile. Our dentists are extensively trained, and their skills and expertise allow us to provide comprehensive dental implant treatment at our Vallejo, CA, dental office, which means you won't have to travel elsewhere for any aspect of your care because our dentists can complete your implant procedures from start to finish.
The first step in learning the possibilities for your smile is to schedule an evaluation with Dr. Nordstrom or Dr. Thai online or by speaking with our team at (707) 643-2660. We're looking forward to helping you reclaim your beautiful and healthy smile!