Missing teeth is a real burden on one’s quality of life. Being unable to chew, smile, or talk the way you used to is, to say the least, demoralizing.
Luckily, we live in a time where dental technology has given us many different solutions for replacing your teeth.
In this article, we will review all the major dental implant options that you might hear about when addressing broken or missing teeth, including their benefits and the reasons you might need to consider them.
Individual Teeth Options
In many cases, all that is needed to be replaced is just a single tooth. In these cases, a dental implant can replace the tooth without disturbing or negatively impacting the surrounding teeth. It is important to replace individual teeth, not just for cosmetic purposes, but to keep the structure of the jawline and dental bones consistent and strong.
Dental implants can prove an effective alternative to traditional crowns and bridges.
The procedure is not difficult. The implant is anchored to the jaw itself. A customized crown is then placed and affixed to the top of the implant. The crown may be made of zirconia, porcelain, or acrylic. A surgeon will attach the abutment or post that you will wear in order to prepare the substratum for the crown.
A dental implant fuses to the bone, similar to the tooth root, and does not require that adjacent teeth be altered in order to serve as bridge supports for the missing tooth. Dental implants also require just traditional maintenance such as brushing and flossing.
Hybrid Bridge Options
Dental implant fixation is an invasive procedure, just like any other surgery. For a fixed dental implant support bridge, you can choose three options: dental implant fixation, custom hybrid bridge, or a hybrid bridge attached to the implant.
Dental implant fixation is for people who have lost all of their upper and lower teeth and may need implants in order to secure the dentures. The custom hybrid bridge is attached to the implants fixated beneath them. In a hybrid bridge, the teeth are supported from beneath by the implants.
Overdenture Options
There is a removable dental implant, supported overdenture and a dental implant stabilized overdenture.
With removable dental implants, a custom overdenture is an option. It is a bar that is attached to the existing dental implants to support the fitted overdenture. The fitted overdenture will have attachments fixed deep into the jawbone. A dental implant stabilized overdenture has abutments directly attached to the implants in order to provide support to the dentures.
Titanium Implants for Multiple Teeth
It is not uncommon to need more than one tooth replaced. In these cases, dental implants also work the best. These are used to provide strength and stability to dentures, as traditional dentures can be unstable and move around on the gums, a result of bone loss.
Titanium implants are strong, and two implants can be used to bridge three or four teeth, which is a far better option than grinding down teeth to form a bridge support. This will stabilize the dentures and help them feel more like natural teeth.
Mini Dental Implants
Mini dental implants are custom-made prosthetic devices that can be placed quickly with minimal pain. They are not as sturdy as full-sized implants and are normally placed for partial dentures or small teeth. They are also single-piece and cannot be adjusted.
Mini dental implants can only be used in certain cases, as full dentures are preferred for normal restoration of missing teeth.
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Hopefully, this article has helped clarify the different dental implant options. Contact Lifetime Teeth Today to schedule an appointment to find out which is right for you.