Tooth Replacement Options That Can Fill The Gaps Left By Missing Teeth

If you would like to have as smile that rivals that of your favorite celebrity but have large gaps in your mouth from missing teeth, you may be surprised to find that a perfect smile could still be within your reach. There are multiple cosmetic dental applications that can replace lost teeth that may detract from your appearance. Here are a few of them:

Dental Bridges

Dental bridges are appliances that are fixed in the mouth. There are several types of dental bridges, including traditional dental bridges, cantilever bridges and resin-bonded bridges.

Traditional Dental Bridges

A traditional bridge includes a dental crown on each end of the appliance and one or more false teeth in between the crowns. The bridge is held in the mouth by the bonding of the dental crowns to the underlying teeth or implants that border the space formed by the missing tooth or teeth.

Cantilever Bridges

Cantilever bridges are dental bridges that include one dental crown and false tooth. The single dental crown is cemented to a tooth that is adjacent to the gap from the lost tooth. Cantilever bridges are not very common anymore and are often not prescribed for back teeth due to the great amounts of bite pressure to which the bridge may be subjected.

Resin-bonded Bridges

The false teeth of resin-bonded bridges can be made of a variety of materials, such as porcelain, porcelain-over-metal or resin. The bridges are connected to the remaining teeth by wings of porcelain or metal that are bonded to the teeth that border the gap using resin. The teeth beneath the wings do not have to be prepared for the installation of the bridge and are not damaged in the process.

Dental Implants

A dental implant is a great replacement option for a single missing tooth. The implant is a rod that is made from metal. It is inserted into the bone of the jaw to replace the root of a missing tooth. After the placement of a dental implant and a period of healing, an abutment and dental crown are added to the implant for the full restoration of the lost tooth.

Partial Dentures

A partial denture is made of false teeth that are connected to a metal or plastic base plate. The false teeth are fashioned from porcelain or resin. They often contain a mechanism that connects the appliance to implants or teeth for a more secure fit.  

To learn more about available tooth replacement options that may be suitable for you, schedule a consultation with a company like HC Dentistry.