Do you have a missing tooth? If you have gaps in your smile, this could impact how you eat, your capability for clear speech, and even your overall appearance. But we can help with dental prosthetics! In today’s blog, Viva Dental Family Dentistry talks about replacing missing teeth for patients in Dallas and Richardson, TX.
The Causes of Tooth Loss
How do we lose our teeth in adulthood? For some, a gap could be due to a severe case of tooth decay or infection. Others may lose their natural teeth to an injury. The most common cause is the periodontitis stage of gum disease, which actually destroys the attachment tissues between the teeth and gums. When you lose teeth, even a single tooth, you need to talk to our team about a replacement, otherwise your smile could be at risk!
The Dangers for Your Smile
When we have a gap in our smiles from tooth loss, the nearby teeth drift, which creates misalignment. Poor alignment itself and further harm your oral health and overall appearance. Missing teeth could also lead to issues with meal options or even clear speech. As the body registers the lack of a tooth root, this means the flow of key nutrients to the jaw is suspended, which causes the structure to weaken and could mean further tooth loss. But with prosthetic dentistry, we can address your missing teeth and offer a full smile again!
Traditional Tooth Replacement
For a gap of one to three teeth in a row, our team could offer a custom bridge, one that is made to look natural and handle daily bite forces with ease. This can last about 10 to 15 years on average. If you have several gaps across your smile, we could fill them at once with a single prosthetic known as a partial denture. If you have total tooth loss, or are missing most of your teeth, we could create a full denture. The bridges are held in place with crowns attached to natural teeth, and dentures are held in place with suction and/or adhesives.
Dental Implants
Our team can also address tooth loss with implant dentistry, which involves inserting a dental implant into the jaw, where the body accepts it as a natural root. This protects the mass and density of the jaw, so your new tooth can last for far longer than traditional options, often decades. We can address one lost tooth or support a fixed denture!
Your Richardson, TX, Dentist Provides Prosthetic Dentistry
We want to help treat missing teeth with options that look and function like natural teeth. For more information on tooth replacement, then please schedule a consultation by calling the Viva Dental Family Dentistry office nearest you at (214) 337-7800 (Dallas) or (972) 437-6000 (Richardson).
