Missing Tooth Replacement Options

It can be very important to replace teeth once they are missing. Without a replacement tooth, your surrounding teeth can lean, shift and wear out more easily. Now you have some options for tooth replacement, and you are not limited by just a single choice. But bear in mind that your health and finances will affect the kinds of options that are available to you.

Dentures

Your cheapest option will be to use dentures. These can be taken out of your mouth when you please, and they will need to be replaced every few years. They are not very durable, and they may make odd clicking sounds when you eat or talk, but for many people on a budget, they are the best choice.

While they may not be of the same quality as other options, they are considerably cheaper, and for most people, they are perfectly viable options. Dentures look like natural teeth, for all intents and purposes, and because they are cheaper than other options, great care does not have to be taken with them.

Bridges and Crowns

A bridge or a crown will be used if there are still viable teeth in the surrounding area. These use the nearby teeth as support in a way, and they work in conjunction with what is already in your mouth. These require the smallest prep time, and you can have them put in quickly without the need for a draw out process if you need a quick replacement.

They can be slightly more expensive than dentures, but they are also more secure and appear more natural. They will cause little to no problems with speaking and eating.

A bridge is a small replacement tooth that fits between two larger teeth. It appears natural and does not usually reach all the way to the gums, leaving a small but often annoying space between the bridge and gum line.

A cap fits over a damaged or small tooth. The old tooth isn't actually taken out, but its function is replaced with the power of the cap. This is best suited for people who would not be able to use other replacement methods if their damaged tooth was to be taken out.

Dental Implant

There are a few different types of dental implants, but they all work on the same basic principle. The old tooth is taken out or replaced and the new tooth is secured to the mandible bone by bolts. These go inside the bone and they hold the new teeth in very securely. This is the most secure form of tooth replacement, but it is also the most expensive.

It can be an involved process, and can take a single long surgical session or several smaller sessions to complete. It may require a surgical specialist to implant the new teeth. Dental implants require the lowest maintenance and will last the longest out of any tooth replacement option. For those who can afford them, they are the best option.