3 Ways To Restore Your Smile By Replacing Your Lost Teeth

If you would like to restore your smile by replacing the lost teeth in your mouth, you may be confused about the options available to you. There are multiple ways that your dentist can replace your missing teeth. Here are a few of them:

Dentures

Dentures are prosthetic teeth that are attached to a resin or metal plate that fits into the mouth of the patient. Since dentures are removable, a denture patient may have to become accustomed to holding the appliance in his or her mouth properly so that it does not slip or move as the patient speaks or eats. Still, there are ways to help ensure that a denture stays firmly in place such as dental adhesive or connectors.

Specialized dentures called overdentures include connectors that are attached to the denture plate. These connectors are designed to connect or attach to a connection device that is added to existing teeth or dental implants in the patient's mouth. The patient can release the connectors whenever he or she decides to remove the overdenture.

Dentures can be used to replace an entire palate of teeth, or they can replace multiple teeth when the patient still has some existing teeth. A denture that only replaces some of the patient's teeth is called a partial denture.

Dental Bridges

A dental bridge is a tooth replacement device that includes two crowns and a false tooth or several false teeth that are attached to a bridge plate. The two crowns of a conventional bridge reside on each side of the false tooth or teeth. When the dental bridge is placed, the crowns are fitted over the two teeth that border the gap left by the lost tooth or teeth.

Dental bridges are considered permanent devices because they are bonded or cemented to the underlying natural teeth. The false tooth or teeth that are suspended between the two bridge crowns restore the look and chewing ability that were lost when the patient's tooth or teeth were removed.

Dental Implants

Dental implants also replace lost teeth. Each implant is placed inside the jawbone of the patient instead of being suspended at gum level. Thus, the dental implant offers health benefits to the patient, such as jaw bone stimulation. Each time the patient bites or chews something, the bone cells of the jawbone are stimulated to produce more cells just as they are when bite pressure is received by a natural tooth.

After a dental implant is placed and the tissue around the device has had a chance to heal, the dentist adds an abutment or connector along with a dental crown.

There are multiple options for people who have lost one or more teeth. To learn the best options for you, schedule an appointment with a dentist like those at Tukwila Dental Center.