Understanding Your Tooth Replacement Options

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As a cosmetic dentist in Gresham, Dr. Jeremy Archibald understands and appreciates the importance of a healthy, great-looking smile.

Patients who have lost one or more teeth can often feel self-conscious and insecure about their appearance, ability to eat and drink, and their confidence in social and professional situations.

Fortunately, tooth loss doesn’t equal a permanently ruined smile. Dr. Archibald offers patients a variety of treatment options designed to do everything from replace a single missing tooth to providing a whole, new smile.

If you want to repair any damage that has occurred to your smile as a result of missing teeth, you should contact Dr. Archibald as your cosmetic and family dentist in Gresham. After assessing the current state of your oral health, Dr. Archibald may recommend one of the following treatment options to help restore the function and confidence you have in your smile.

Dental Implants

When it comes to replacing a missing tooth, nothing mimics the type of durability, support, and aesthetics of a natural tooth, like a dental implant.

Dental implants take the place of tooth roots that have become badly damaged by dental decay, disease, or trauma. To place a dental implant, a surgically placed titanium fixture,  directly into a patient’s jaw where the missing tooth was. The implant is then covered and given time to heal, which can take anywhere from three to six months. Sometimes we have the ability to place a temporary tooth attached to your implant while your mouth is healing.

During the healing process, the bone and surrounding tissue structure will begin to integrate with the implant. Once the healing process is complete, the body will have completely bonded with the implant, providing an incredibly secure base for the placement of a dental crown, or as an anchor for a bridge or set of dentures.

To replace a single tooth, Dr. Archibald will place a dental crown as a cap on the end of the implant. Crowns are designed to function, feel, and look exactly like a patient’s natural tooth. When combined with a crown, dental implants offer patients an sound investment and lasting solution for the replacement of a missing tooth that’s nearly indistinguishable from a patient’s natural teeth.

Dental Bridge

A dental bridge effectively “bridges” the gap between one or more missing teeth. Unlike a dental crown and implant, which replaces a tooth independent of adjacent teeth, a bridge can replace one or more teeth that are missing, using your natural teeth for support.

Most bridges consist of two or more crowns that sit on either side of the gap in a patient’s smile. If a patient has a series of teeth missing from an area of their smile, a bridge can completely cover the gap with crowns that will also function, feel, and look just like natural teeth.

To place a dental bridge, Dr. Archibald will prepare the area by altering the adjacent natural teeth near the space in a patient’s smile. This will enable the crowns to fit in, around, and over the space so that the bridge appears seamless in a patient’s smile.

Dentures

For patients who have few to no remaining natural teeth, dentures offer a lasting solution for restoring their ability to eat, drink, and speak with confidence.

Patients typically have two options for their dentures: complete or partial.

Complete dentures are fabricated using precise measurements that will provide a comfortable and secure fit for patients. Prior to the placement of a complete set of dentures, Dr. Archibald will first need to remove any remaining teeth. Time will also need to be given to allow a patient’s gum tissue to fully heal. From the time the teeth are removed to when the dentures are place is roughly between eight to 12 weeks. In some cases, a denture can be delivered the same day your teeth are extracted so that you do not have to go without “teeth.”  Ask Dr. Archibald, your family dentist in Gresham for more information.  

Partial dentures are similar to a dental bridge. Partial dentures work to bridge a gap in a patient’s smile where permanent teeth have been removed due to injury, disease, or decay. Partial dentures not only replace missing teeth, they also prevent teeth that neighbor a gap in a smile from moving or shifting to fill the space left vacant. Unlike a bridge, they are removed from your mouth to clean and maintain when not in use.  

 

Your Cosmetic & Family Dentist in Gresham can Help

Don’t let a gap in your smile rob you of the confidence needed to excel in your personal and professional lives. Contact our office today to schedule your replacement tooth consultation with Dr. Archibald and make 2020 a year you can feel confident in showing your beautiful smile.