It isn’t a secret that when it comes to oral health and dental-related surgeries, things can become quite costly – very quickly – not to mention confusing.
For those of our readers with a missing tooth, or with the threat of needing to have a tooth pulled either because of severe decay or any other major issue, you’re likely looking for a few next steps when it comes to having that pulled tooth replaced.
That in mind, we have five of your best options when it comes to tooth replacement and what you might expect the next steps to be in your journey to a new tooth!
Take a look at our five options for tooth replacement below.
1. A Dental Implant
One of the most common options for replacing a tooth is a single dental implant. These implants are by far one of the most common ways of replacing missing teeth today, and the process is one of the simplest to undertake.
The steps for getting a dental implant are simply going to require two rather rudimentary appointments where your dental professional, like those at North Shore Periodontics, will first drill a ‘post’ into your jawbone for the tooth to be adhered too. These posts are typically of an ulta-strong material such as titanium to ensure you’re not going to run the risk of a tooth breaking or the post coming loose, for example.
From there, you will have your new crown added atop your titanium post. However, there is typically a multi-month break between adding the post and the crown in order to give the body time to adjust and accept (or reject) the new post.
2. A Composite Bridge
Another rather common option for tooth replacement is the addition of composite bridges. As one other rather popular option, you’ll be able to rely on your local dental professional to be adept in placing a composite bridge in place of your missing teeth.
From the outset, this may be one of the more invasive of the options for replacing a missing tooth, or a pulled tooth, and involves the grinding down of the two teeth beside your missing teeth, which will soon be home to two new crowns as well as the missing tooth to be placed between these.
There are downsides to this approach though, and one of the main ones being that you’ll need to have the two adjacent teeth ground down, and from there have your new bridget attached.
If either of the two bridge teeth become damaged, you will find that you run the risk of losing the bridge or needing further dental work.
3. Dentures, Either Partial or Full
A third option for tooth replacement is the installment of dentures says this dentist who does quality Invisalign in Williamsburg.
This option is typically reserved for those who have a number of teeth missing, as opposed to just one or two, and so this is the option that is commonly suggested for the elderly who need a result which is going to be able to deal with all of the missing teeth in one foul swoop.
These dentures are essentially able to sit in the mouth and can be taken in and out, though there is one downside which is that these teeth are not as natural-feeling as a crown or an implant, for example, so it will take some time to adjust to these dentures.
4. Leaving the Gap As it Is
Though you may be considering a replacement, implant or dentures, there is also the option of simply leaving the tooth as it is, or the lack of tooth, as it is.
Unless you have explicitly been told by your dentist that you must have or consider having a dental implant, you aren’t required to cover this empty space in your mouth. Even though it may be unsightly or causing anxiety or concern, you are able to simply leave this space as it is, and continue on with your day to day without the concern of needing to replace your missing teeth.
5. A Dental Flipper
Our final suggestion when it comes to tooth replacement is simply having a ‘flipper’ designed for your mouth by your local dentist. These flippers are essentially able to sit in your mouth with a single tooth in place of your missing tooth.
They are one of the simplest and non-invasive options out there, however, they are not permanent and can be considered uncomfortable by some users, making them a hit or miss in some cases.
The Takeaway
With those five options for replacing a tooth out of the way, we’re sure you have at least one simple, affordable and seamless option for getting a handle of that missing (or soon to be missing) tooth in your mouth.
Always consider these options based on your lifestyle and whether you need a result which is suited to sport or simple day-to-day tasks.
