Are one or more missing teeth impacting the look and health of your mouth? Our Timonium, MD, dentist’s office treats patients with missing teeth. Permanent missing teeth can lead to jaw bone loss, further tooth loss, and unsightly gaps in the smile.
Whenever patients with missing teeth visit our office, we educate them on restoring their oral health. Additionally, we will take the time to explain all the available treatment options. Replacing missing teeth is integral to improving the teeth and gums’ look, feel, and function.
Why Should You Replace Missing Teeth?
Missing teeth are not only embarrassing, but they will also affect your overall and oral health. Putting off restorative treatment can:
- Impact your self-esteem
- Alter your speech
- Make it difficult to chew food
- Cause surrounding teeth to shift toward the gaps
- Increase your risk of gum disease and tooth decay
- Lead to bone loss in the jaw
- Alter your bite
- Decrease your quality of life
Even a single missing tooth can impact your oral health. Bacterial infection can spread throughout the mouth if you lose a tooth due to tooth decay or gum disease. Over time, you can lose additional permanent teeth.
A gap in your smile can also lead to shifting teeth. As natural remaining teeth shift to fill the gap left by a missing tooth, they can be overcrowded. Decay-causing bacteria can also hide between overlapping teeth.
If you have one or more missing teeth on your lower row of teeth, you may notice that your jaw changes. Tooth loss affects the facial structure. Because your jaw bone doesn’t have support from your natural teeth, your jaw begins to sag.
Replacing missing teeth will prevent further dental issues and renew your oral health. Restoring teeth at the root can also renew your facial structure and improve your face’s shape.
Sometimes, Tooth Extractions are Necessary
Dentists will do everything in their power to save natural teeth. A dentist may recommend a dental filling, root canal, or crown to address an injured or damaged tooth. However, there comes a point when removing the tooth is necessary for the patient’s health.
Tooth decay, infection, or an injury can damage a tooth. When a tooth is too damaged to save, we will recommend an extraction. In this event, the vital thing to consider is how you will replace the tooth.
Missing Teeth Treatment Options in Timonium, MD
Dr. Paul Karpovich offers several treatment options for patients suffering from missing teeth. He will explain every option, from the most affordable to the most advanced solution.
Replacing missing or damaged teeth is vital for your health and overall well-being. The sooner treatment is sought, the better. Below is the list of treatments Dr. Karpovich offers for missing teeth in Timonium, MD:
Dental Bridge
A dental bridge is a fixed prosthesis that can replace one or more teeth in a row. It is a single piece with fake teeth (the pontics), and dental crowns are fused. The crowns are located on each end of the bridge for support.
To prepare for the placement, your dentist will reduce the size of the two teeth on either side of the tooth gap. Then, they will cement the crowns to the adjacent teeth. A dental bridge can be a conservative restorative option for many patients.
However, dental bridges lay on the gums and only use adjacent teeth to stay in place. The underlying bone will deteriorate without complete support, and the bridge will eventually need replacement. Implant-secured dentures are a beneficial alternative to traditional bridges. Dental implants support the health of the teeth, gums, and jaw.
Dentures
An entire mouth of missing teeth is bad for oral health. We recommend a complete denture to replace the top and bottom tooth arches. A partial denture replaces teeth in different parts of the mouth.
Dentures are a popular dental prosthesis where the fake teeth are fused to a base made of acrylic or metal. The denture sits on the gums and uses suction or adhesive to remain in place.
While this is a great aesthetic solution for missing teeth, it has restrictions and costly maintenance. Since you won’t have full chewing force, you must eliminate many foods from your diet. Additionally, maintenance on dentures can be expensive. Eventually, you will have to replace your dentures.
We often recommend implants to keep the restorations stable and prevent dentures from slipping. Oftentimes, dentures can slip around the mouth, which can be embarrassing around other people when trying to eat or speak. Implants are posts that an oral surgeon places in the jaw bone. They act as replacement tooth roots and can secure dentures in place.
Dental Implants
Tooth implants are the most advanced solution for missing teeth. Dental implants not only replace the crowns of the teeth but also replace the teeth roots. This sophisticated solution involves placing little screw-like posts in the jawbone.
Over three to six months, the implant posts integrate with the bone. Then, our dentist attaches a custom-made dental prosthesis to the implant abutment or connective piece.
The dental prosthesis can include:
- Dental crowns for a single missing tooth
- A dental bridge for several consecutive missing teeth
- Partial dentures for rows of missing teeth in different parts of the smile
- Complete dentures for upper and lower arches of missing teeth
The downside is dental implants are costly. However, they prevent bone loss in the jaw and won’t harm the remaining healthy teeth. Dental implants ensure that restorations last longer than traditional removable restorations.
The titanium implant posts themselves are permanent. Once the implants fuse with the jaw bone, they should stay there as long as patients care for their oral health.
Schedule an Appointment for Missing Teeth in Timonium, MD
Dr. Karpovich is an experienced restorative dentist who treats missing teeth with several options. Schedule your appointment today to learn which treatment is best for you.
You can reach our helpful staff at (410) 221-3085. Feel free to request an appointment online by filling out this form. We look forward to meeting you and helping you meet your oral health goals.