Teeth may become lost for any number reasons ranging from extraction due to decay, trauma to the mouth resulting tooth loss, the effects of aging which is a common cause, periodontal disease, as well as any number of other reasons which may make it not possible for the teeth to remain in the mouth.
Permanent dentures have been a solution for some people, who may not want the hassle of having to deal with removable dentures. This is especially suitable for people who may have lost multiple teeth which are close enough together. It is however a quite expensive procedure and so it will not be accessible to all persons. Even with health insurance the cost proves too much for some people. This article will discuss alternatives you may want to consider instead of permanent dentures.
Temporary Dentures
These are also called removable dentures but they are not the regular type we are accustomed to. These dentures are more like interim dentures, and moulded to fit into your mouth before you have your extractive procedure. These dentures are placed into the mouth after surgery and are worn during the healing process.
They are used to maintain the normal shape of the face and also prevent the remaining teeth from shifting out of their positions while the wound heals. They help to maintain your original bite and prevent your gums from undergoing too great a change as they heal.
Since they are temporary, a more permanent solution must be used to fill the healed gap, as they will not longer fit well after a while. You may replace them with any of the other methods to follow below.
Dental Bridges
These are used to fill gaps between teeth created after they have been lost or removed and can only work if there are teeth remaining to act as supports. In the absence of supporting teeth, an implant or abutment will have to be installed to support and anchor the bridge.
Dental bridges are created by using hollow crowns, which serve as the support connections, placed over and implant or shaved down tooth to anchor the prosthetic tooth which will be used to fill the gap. This means that you will have to choose to sacrifice healthy teeth and have them covered by crowns in order to use this alternative for a missing tooth replacement.
It can be done on one or more adjacent missing teeth. The replacement teeth may be made from alloys, porcelain or gold or a combination of these materials.
There are three types of dental bridges which can used to replace missing teeth. These are:
- The traditional bridge which makes use of two supporting teeth to anchor one missing tooth.
- The Maryland Bonded bridge, which makes use of a combination of plastic, porcelain and metal components.
- The cantilever bridge which uses only one tooth as support for the replacement tooth. This is most suitable for the single root teeth and not the larger molars and pre-molars in the rear of the mouth.
Dental Crowns
These cover the entire exposed area of a tooth and may be used on one or multiple teeth. They have a natural appearance and are indistinguishable from your actual teeth. Another name for these types of crowns is the jacket crown, because of the way in which they completely enclose and protect the tooth.
Veneers
Veneers are used, not for replacing missing teeth, but for trying to save teeth which may have become discoloured or disfigured, but do not need to be removed. A composite or porcelain is used to make a covering or disguise for the surface of teeth, then bonded. This helps to restore the aesthetic appeal to the mouth, save the tooth and boost confidence.
Dental Implants
Where veneers or crowns cannot be used, implants serve to replace a missing tooth. The procedure is expensive but is meant to be a lifelong fix for replacing missing teeth. It can be used to replace one tooth or several teeth.
In this procedure and implant is anchored down into the jaw bone, which is usually a metal post. It remains there until completely healed, after which a crown will be inserted over the post and affixed to it. This procedure restores the functionality of actual teeth.
How These Alternatives Are Beneficial
The above discussed alternatives to permanent dentures help to give a boost in confidence and restore functionality to the mouth so you can eat, chew and speak normally. Outside of aesthetics, these alternatives help to halt or slow down the process of bone and tissue degradation which may have been caused by severe periodontal disease, and provide an opportunity for the maintenance of better oral health and hygiene.
Since many of these alternatives tend to be costly and time consuming, it is best to do the utmost to preserve your teeth the first time around.
