March 20, 2007, Los Angeles and Beverly Hills - Missing teeth can make it difficult to bite and chew, but there are several other related problems.
Missing teeth can impact your speech, cause headaches and pain in the jawbone while increasing the strain on the rest of your teeth. What's less known is that missing teeth can impact your overall appearance and self-esteem.
A variety of procedures are available to replace teeth, most of which can be completed in just a month or two.
COMPLETE DENTURES
Complete dentures are used when a patient has lost all their teeth. Thankfully, dental technology has come a long way since the days when dentures floating in a water glass were a common sight.
The teeth for modern dentures are made of a prefabricated acrylic that comes in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and shades. These teeth are laid into a custom-made acrylic base, designed to comfortably fit your mouth's gum tissue.
The success of a complete denture is dependent upon your:
• jaw size and shape;
• oral habits; and
• ability to adapt to the new dentures.
PARTIAL DENTURES
Partial dentures are created using a precision cast in metal. They are long lasting but must be removed for regular cleaning. Because a partial is held in place by your existing teeth, it's vital these natural teeth are healthy enough to support the denture. The new metal-free partials are increasing in popularity.
FLIPPERS
These removable plastic teeth are inexpensive, but they're also temporary. Flippers are more fragile because the pink portion of the denture base is made of a brittle acrylic. However, the nature of flippers allows new teeth to be added rather quickly. A flipper plate connects to your remaining teeth with wrought wire claps are imbedded in the structure of the denture's base.
Although considered a temporary solution, some people wear flippers for many, many years.
FIXED BRIDGE
Dental bridges , as the name suggests, are cemented into place, using crowns or caps on the adjacent teeth as anchors. This process requires the removal or reduction of the outer layer of these teeth.
A cantilever bridge is most frequently used for areas under less stress, such as your front teeth. Cantilevers are used when there are teeth on just one side of the gap.
Bridges reduce the risk of gum disease and help correct some bite issues. They should last as much as 10 years or more, depending on your level of oral hygiene.
DENTAL IMPLANTS
Implants are most commonly used to provide support for replacement teeth. These small titanium posts are surgically screwed into the jaw bone to serve as anchors for one or more false teeth.
Implants have increased in popularity as the process has been refined. While they show a high rate of success, this is dependent upon their purpose and where the implants are placed.
The most successful location for implants is in the front portion of your lower jaw. It's very important that enough bone structure be present in the area of the missing tooth for attaching the implant.
LEARN MORE
Call top cosmetic dentist Dr. Anthony Mobasser today at 1.310.550.0383 or email us to schedule an appointment and learn more about replacing missing teeth.
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