The Best Treatments for Replacing Missing Teeth

A missing tooth can cause more problems than just appearance alone. A single-tooth or multiple-teeth gap in your smile isn’t just an eyesore, but a potential risk factor for other health conditions. Without a replacement tooth, remaining teeth can shift and alter your facial structure. Other teeth will begin to wear down quicker as will your jawbone. Speaking and eating can also become difficult, especially as these structures deteriorate more.

But oral surgeons, like our El Paso dentist, can offer a number of treatments to replace teeth. With their help, you can be back on your way to a complete smile and be at less risk for degenerative oral health.

What Are My Options?

You have a few options available to you to replace teeth, the best being those that provide a sturdy solution and look like natural teeth. Keep reading to learn more about some of these options. To find what is the best treatment for you, schedule a consultation appointment with our general and cosmetic dentist in El Paso, TX.

Dental Implants

If you are missing a single tooth or multiple teeth, the best treatment will be dental implants. These are small, metal rods that are inserted into the gum and jawbone. In a way, cosmetic dental implants act as the missing tooth’s roots and main structure. Once inserted, the implant and jawbone begin to fuse together creating a strong bond that tightly secures the implant and stimulates bone health.

Patients often prefer implants because they don’t shift around when talking or eating. A tooth crown, bridge, or dentures can be attached to the top of the implant for a natural-looking replacement that matches remaining teeth.

Long-lasting and secure, dental implants are a treatment with lifelong benefits. The cost for dental implants is more than other teeth replacements at first, but their great longevity and convenience make up for the cost in the end.

Tooth Bridge

A dental bridge or tooth bridge consists of a series of connected prosthetic teeth. Bridges can replace large gaps of missing teeth or a single tooth and attach onto adjacent teeth or implants. When attaching to another tooth, that tooth must first be milled down for the bridge cap or crown to fit snugly over it.

Because each tooth bridge is customized for the patient, the dental bridge stays intact fairly well. However, it does wear down the abutment teeth, or the teeth that anchor down the bridge, causing permanent damage. For patients looking for affordable teeth replacements, however, tooth bridges are a fine solution.

Partial or Full Dentures

Dentures are most commonly used when a complete row of teeth are missing. These dentures are referred to as full dentures. But partial dentures are also available to replace only a few teeth.

Each type can be secured by a dental implant or designed to adhere directly to the jawbone. In these cases, the removable dentures may not stimulate the jawbone enough to keep the bone from deteriorating over time. Permanent dentures take some getting used to, as well. Learning how to talk and eat with full dentures takes time to feel natural, but can become somewhat easier when the dentures are anchored down by implants.

Replace Teeth with Our Dentist in El Paso, TX

Before health risks caused by missing teeth set in, get teeth replacements that work best for YOU. Dental implants, tooth bridges, and permanent dentures are all viable options for most patients. They offer long-lasting solutions that resemble natural teeth, especially now with such advances in dental technology.

Talk with our cosmetic dentist in El Paso, TX about which treatment will serve you and your lifestyle the best. We’re here to help you smile confidently and maintain great oral health, starting with a complete set of great-looking teeth. Schedule a free consultation at our El Paso dental office today!