You will be amazed to know that the average adult in the range of age 35 to 49 in the United States has reported to be missing seven teeth.1 However, if we do consider the four wisdom teeth as missing, people are actually living without at least three of their natural teeth. So if you or your near and dear ones are losing a tooth, you must become aware of the ways to replace them.
Dental implants serve as the best and most sought for option for your oral health as it offers a feel of restoring a natural tooth. However, in this process, each tooth is implanted individually and the cost for a single tooth itself is quite high.
Explore 3 tooth replacement options to choose the one that suits your missing teeth the most:
1. Classic Dental Implant
Dental implants are a surgical way to artificially replace a natural tooth root. It involves insertion of tooth root into the jawbone in order to support a restorative or replacement crown, bridge or denture. You may opt for it if you have lost one or more teeth to injury, periodontal disease or other oral health problem.
Pros
- 95% Success rates
- Durable and permanent artificial tooth
- Requires Minimal maintenance: good oral hygiene along with professional dental checkups and cleanings are good to go
- Offers natural and comfortable feel as well as the best aesthetics
- The only solution won’t let down your jawbone
- No modification of gaps adjacent to the teeth required
- Can be considered more economical in the longer term, owing the long lifespan of this treatment
Cons
- More invasive as you need to undergo a surgical procedure
- Time consuming and requires a good number of dental visits compared to other options
- On the higher end of tooth replacement solution from the price point
Who is ideal for Dental Implants?
Dental implants are the best solution if you can afford it. It offers a long-term solution for a missing tooth along with the best aesthetic results.
The greatest advantage is that you won’t need replacement of the implant restorations like a dental bridge. Moreover, an implant ensures that you won’t have a jawbone loss as well as it preserves the gum tissue.2
2. All-on-Four Implant Supported Dentures
Just four implants can support a full-arch lower denture while six implants are necessary to support an upper denture. This treatment involves insertion of two implants right at the front of the arch where your front teeth previously occupied.
The other two implants are inserted on either side at a 45° angle tilting towards the back of the mouth. The overdenture will be clipped onto the dental implants by using special attachments on its fitting surface.
Pros
- More cost-effective owing to lower number of implants
- More strong and stable than dentures
- Enjoy a wider variety of foods unlike dentures
- Less bulky due to the construction without a palate making eating experience more enjoyable as you can taste food more easily
- Easily removable for cleaning
Cons
- Some people do not find it comfortable as it is removable
- You need to take Dcare especially when eating chewy or hard food as they may lead to the damage of the denture
- Regular maintenance of DSpecial attachments on the fitting surface must be taken along with periodical replacement
Who is ideal for an Overdenture/All-on-Four Implants?
If you are looking for an affordable treatment that offers a stable solution, you must opt for this treatment. Treatment is suitable for those who have suffered significant jawbone loss as insertion of the implants towards the front of the jaw. In this region, the bone tends to be naturally thicker and stronger and thus can support dental implants.3
3. Implant-Supported Fixed Bridge
For an implant-supported fixed bridge, you do not need to necessarily replace every single tooth with a single dental implant. Instead, the implant-supported fixed bridge can fix several missing teeth. In fact, you can replace a complete arch of teeth with this treatment. The number of implants required can be decided based on the type of dental implant and the number of teeth being restored.
An implant-supported bridge and a tooth-supported fixed bridge can hardly be differentiated from their look. The former involves either cementing or screwing the implants into place. Screwing the bridge onto the implants makes it easier to retrieve the bridge for cleaning or repairing. The tooth-colored composite resin covers up screw holes in the bridge to make them virtually invisible.4
Pros
- Excellent aesthetic results
- Natural look and feel to ensure free speaking and eating anything
- Care to be taken is just like ordinary teeth: brushed and flossed
- Budget- friendly in comparison to a single dental implant for every teeth
- Long lifespan till replacement
- Your dentist do not need to grind down healthy teeth
Cons
- Only suitable for adjacent missing teeth
- Higher cost for restoring a complete arch of teeth
- Time Consuming and patience demanding for the larger number of visits compared to a tooth-supported fixed bridge or a denture
- Require a small surgical procedure
Who is ideal for an Implant-Supported Fixed Bridge?
This treatment is suitable for those who want unremovable strong and stable teeth. It requires more expenditure than All-on-Four implant-supported dentures. However, this treatment is worth the prices as you can forget you ever lost your teeth. The strong teeth allow you to eat just about any food you like. Additionally, the gum colored porcelain.constructed to bridge any missing gum tissue offers excellent aesthetics.
We hope this guide helps you navigating through the jungle of teeth replacement options.
- https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/research/data-statistics/tooth-loss/adults[↩]
- https://dentistry.uic.edu/patients/dental-implants-benefits[↩]
- https://www.dentistryiq.com/dentistry/implantology/article/16365915/when-is-allon4-the-best-option-5-factors-to-consider-when-creating-your-dental-treatment-plan[↩]
- https://www.smilesforlifeonline.com/blog/2019/07/25/understanding-the-benefits-of-implant-supported-200445[↩]
