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2 Replacement Options For A Missing Tooth

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Most people do not plan to lose a tooth. It may be knocked out inadvertently during a ball game, or a tooth may require extraction due to a severe deep cavity. Nevertheless, regardless of the reason that a tooth is lost, there are replacement options available. Here are two of them:

Dental Bridge

A dental bridge is a tooth replacement option that includes two dental crowns attached to the base of the bridge. Between the two crowns lies the false tooth that will replace the tooth that you are missing.

To prepare for the fabrication of your bridge, your dentist will need to take a mold or dental impression of your mouth to ensure that the crown are properly designed. The impression is sent to a dental laboratory where it is used to create crowns that will fit the teeth bordering your gap perfectly.

With a dental bridge, your dentist will have to debride the two teeth that will be used to attach the crowns in your mouth. Once those teeth are prepared, a permanent bonding solution is applied. The crowns are then attached, and the false teeth tooth remains suspended between them.

Most dental bridges are difficult to discern from the other teeth in your mouth. Dental patients who want their tooth restoration to look as natural as possible usually choose porcelain or porcelain-over- metal crowns as their bridge crowns.

Dental bridges usually last five to 15 years. However, with proper dental hygiene, the bridge my last even longer.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are designed most like a natural tooth. An implant is surgically placed inside the jaw bone of the patient. The prosthetic device is actually a screw made of biocompatible metal, such as titanium.

Once the screw has been drilled into the bone of the patient, it is allowed to heal over a period about 2 to 4 months. This healing process, which is called osseointegration, helps ensure that the dental implant will be a stable as the root of a natural tooth.

After the dental implant has properly healed, a prosthetic crown can be applied. Your dentist will use an abutment or connector to attach the crown to the implant. The crown restores the appearance and chewing ability of the tooth.

If you have lost a tooth, schedule an appointment with a dentist like All Denture Dental Clinic in your area to learn about tooth replacement options that may be suitable for you.


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