Once you have your permanent teeth, the tooth fairy stops coming around to your house, and missing teeth don’t get naturally replaced. Lose them in the front, and you get a gap-toothed grin. It’s cute on a six-year old, but it doesn’t work as a look when you’re an adult. Lose them in the back, and you develop sunken cheeks.
Either way, it becomes difficult to chew your food properly, and that puts strain on your digestive system. Then, your remaining teeth can actually start migrating into new positions once you’ve lost one, and that can ruin your bite. Finally, the area of jaw bone under your missing tooth no longer has any work to do, and begins to break down. This can have dire consequences.
Tooth replacement is clearly a must. But what are your options?
Bridges
If you have healthy teeth on either side of the gap, a bridge will be a more comfortable solution than dentures. Bridges are basically false teeth that are permanently attached to the adjoining teeth. It’s just like having your ordinary teeth back. Your dentist will be able to tell you whether bridgework can help you or whether there is a risk of breakdown of the jawbone and should rather have an implant.
Dentures
Dentures or false teeth are the oldest form of tooth replacement. Thank goodness, modern dentures aren’t the cumbersome affairs of yesteryear, but most people only choose dentures when they aren’t suited for one of the other tooth replacement options available.
That’s because dentures, like stars, have to come out at night. And since your mouth changes over time, you may need to have your dentures adjusted or replaced to get a firm, comfortable fit without causing painful sores or inflammation.
Then there is the embarrassment that comes with poorly fitting dentures. Teeth that rattle or come out when they shouldn’t, or speech that is altered owing to the dentures.
Implants
Although this is not the cheapest tooth replacement option, it is also the very best. Your dentist will insert an artificial “root” into your jawbone. This has to be given some time to settle in. The bone grows around it making it firm and ready to receive your new tooth. Once your new tooth is attached to the implanted root, it’s a permanent fix unless you have some accident.
People prefer implants because it’s a real tooth replacement that looks and feels perfectly natural. But there is another advantage: having the implant in your jaw prevents deterioration of the bone, stimulating it to repair itself.
Finally, if you consider that bridgework or dentures do need maintenance and replacement from time to time, implants can actually cost a lot less than the so-called “cheaper” options over the course of time.
Which option should you choose?
Your tooth replacement choice will depend on your oral health, the tooth or teeth that are missing, and a range of other factors. Visit your dentist and get his or her opinion on the options that could potentially work in your situation. Once you have done this, you will know all the pros and cons as they apply to your situation and you will be able to make a thoroughly informed decision.