Applications To Restore Your Lost Teeth
The loss of one or more teeth can have a significant impact on the look of your smile. In addition to affecting your appearance, tooth loss can make it difficult for you to chew your food properly. Thus, it can cause dietary restrictions that may lead to nutritional deficits. Nevertheless, there are multiple dental applications that can restore your lost teeth. Here are a few of them.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are prosthetic tooth roots. Although an implant does not replace the portion of a tooth that is visible in the mouth, it acts as a stable foundation for crown-replacement devices. The dentist inserts the implant into the bone of the jaw through an incision in the gingival tissues. Once in place, the implant begins to integrate with the jawbone tissue.
The integration process, which is called osseointegration, occurs over a span of several months. During this time, the bone cells grow around the implant to fill the spaces that exist between the implant and the jawbone. After the implant wound has properly healed, the dentist adds a connector to the device. Additionally, they may contour the gums around the implant to ensure that the restoration appears natural.
The dentist can then attach a dental crown to the implant to complete a single-tooth restoration. The implants can also support dentures and bridges when multiple teeth are being replaced.
Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are fixed devices that connect to implants or natural teeth. A bridge consists of pontics, or false teeth, and crowns connected to a base. The crowns fit over the abutment teeth or implants to hold the bridge permanently in the mouth.
The bridge restores the chewing ability and appearance of the mouth. Also, since the teeth serve as barriers for the tongue, the placement of the bridge can also improve the clarity of speech. Additionally, bridges are usually tooth-colored. The color of a bridge can be matched to the patient's natural tooth color.
Partial Dentures
Unlike a fixed bridge, a partial denture is a removable appliance. The patient can take the denture out of the mouth to clean the device.
The denture structure includes false teeth connected to a base. The appliance may also include attachment mechanisms that help the device attach to adjacent teeth or implants for better stabilization. Still, the patient can attach and detach the partial denture at will.
If you have lost one or more teeth, schedule a consultation with a dental provider in your local area like one at Pacific Ave Dental/Allan L. Hablutzel, DDS.
