When you have missing teeth you want your dental expert to help you choose the replacement teeth method that is going to look the most natural, be the most cost effective, and last the longest. Comparing the different types of tooth replacements is the only way to insure that you are getting the best product for you.
Dental Implants
Dental implants may be replacements for one or more missing teeth. The dental implants have titanium rods that are surgically positioned beside your jawbone, beneath the gum line, so that the bone of your jaw will eventually fuse over the titanium and hold the rod in place. Fixed dental bridges are actually dental implants. Traditional dentures are often referred to as “over-dentures” because they go over the entire section of the upper or lower portion of your mouth.
Traditional dentures are easy to remove, and must be removed daily to be cleansed thoroughly and eliminate odors.
Traditional dentures usually do not look like natural teeth.
Traditional dentures are far less expensive than the implanted dentures are because the implants require more trips to the dentist, more preparations, and higher quality materials.
Most dental clinics can pull your natural teeth and place traditional dentures in your mouth.
With the traditional dentures the roof of your mouth will be covered with plastic and you will lose some of your sense of taste.
Fixed Dental Bridges
When you get fixed dental bridges to replace missing teeth the bridges will be screwed to the implants that are positioned next to your jaw bone so that the only way the teeth can be removed is by a dental technician.
You clean these devices like you clean natural teeth. You brush them in your mouth, and you floss between the teeth to remove stuck on bits of food that could cause bad breath.
Fixed dental bridges do not “float” or move around when you eat or drink so they are preferred over traditional dentures.
You will not have any material covering the roof of your mouth when you choose this type of replacement for missing teeth. The teeth seem to come straight out of the gums like natural teeth do.
These teeth look more natural than any other form of denture.
These devices have a gold substructure with porcelain teeth fused to the substructure. The gold in the devices makes them stronger than any other denture device.
The bridges can be made to hide the fact that some of your natural gum is missing. With expert craftsmanship the area of the bridge that sits next to your gum line can be colored so that it appears that you have no missing gum. This keeps the teeth from looking longer than they should, and keeps the teeth from looking obviously fake.
You have to have a dental clinic that specializes in placing these implants in your mouth. Do to the surgical requirements the dental professional must be licensed to perform surgical procedures. You may have to be put to sleep for the implantation procedure.