What are My Options for Replacing a Missing Tooth?

Let’s face it; living with a compromised tooth takes a toll on every aspect of your life. If you still have the tooth, but it’s failing, it’s probably causing pain and making it difficult to chew. If the tooth is already missing, it’s also challenging to navigate chewing foods and feeling confident about talking and smiling in front of other people. The good news is that there are excellent options available for replacing a missing tooth.

What is a Dental Bridge?

A bridge is an option for patients who are missing one or multiple adjacent teeth. A bridge uses crowns as anchors on your healthy teeth that have prosthetic teeth attached, which fill in the open space. Your bridge is designed to match your existing teeth so it complements your smile and no one will notice your dental work. In order to ensure the longevity of your bridge, it’s important to keep your anchor teeth clean with daily brushing and flossing.

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are the best option that dentistry offers for replacing missing teeth. Implants are a reliable treatment, boasting a 95% success rate. They also offer great longevity, as they can potentially last a lifetime with excellent home care and routine checkups.

The reason they are so successful is because an implant restores both your root and your tooth. A titanium post is placed into your jawbone during a simple surgical procedure and then given ample time to heal. Titanium is biocompatible and integrates naturally with your bone, which creates the foundation needed to support your new tooth, or porcelain crown.

Your new tooth is crafted from high quality porcelain that is blended to restore your smile. With your implant crown, you’ll enjoy all the function you had with your natural tooth such as talking, smiling, eating, and chewing. And caring for your implant is easy, as you’ll be able to brush and floss as you were used to.

Implant Supported Prosthetics

Dental implants are also capable of supporting dental prosthetics such as a bridge or denture. This gives people with multiple missing teeth the opportunity to benefit from them. A few strategically placed implants can anchor a bridge, or support a denture, which is an appliance designed to replace an entire arch of teeth. Dental implants will also protect the health of the jawbone, which provides a more secure fit and better longevity for bridges and dentures.

Don’t let a missing or compromised tooth hold you back! You owe it to yourself to learn more about your options for restoring your smile.

About the Author

Dr. Gary Rosenfeld and his team at East Islip Dental Care have been taking care of patients in East Islip, NY for over thirty years. With highly skilled and dedicated professionals at your service, you can rest assured that we’ll create a plan to restore your smile and guide you through every step of the process.

If you’d like to reach Dr. Rosenfeld, call us at 631-983-4660, or contact us through our website.