Straight Teeth in Less Time
2 Tooth Replacement Devices For A Single Tooth Restoration
Lois Murray
If you have recently lost your tooth because of an accident or tooth decay, you may be considering multiple options to replace it. Here are a few tooth-replacement devices that are typically used in single-tooth restorations to help you in your decision-making process:
Dental Bridges
A dental bridge is commonly used to replace a single lost tooth. A traditional bridge usually contains the replacement tooth in the center of the device. On each side of the false tooth, there is a dental crown. The dental crowns are used to secure the bridge in place by being bonded over the teeth that lie on each side of the gap from the missing tooth.
In some cases, a special type of bridge, called a cantilever bridge, which includes one crown instead of two, may be used.
The crowns of dental bridges are usually made of porcelain or porcelain over metal. The materials are durable and can last the lifetime of the patient. In addition, porcelain is white like tooth enamel and can be tinted to match the exact shade of your other teeth. After a bridge's installation, it is difficult to discern the device from natural teeth.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are also used to replace lost teeth. The implants, however, do not lie at the gum line like dental bridges. Instead, they are drilled into the jawbone.
During an implant restoration, the implant rod or screw, which is made of titanium, is inserted into the bone through the gums at the site of the missing tooth. The procedure can be performed in your dentist's office using local anesthesia to prevent discomfort. After the implant is in place, it heals over the next few months, fusing with the bone of the jaw. The integration of the implant with the jawbone is called osseointegration and stabilizes the device in position.
After the implant wound has healed, an abutment can be added as a connection point between the implant and the crown. The placement of the dental crown completes the implant restoration.
In cases in which there is too little jawbone to use a traditional implant, a zygomatic implant or mini implant may be used. Zygomatic implants are installed in the cheekbone instead of the jawbone. Thus, they are much longer than standard implants. Mini implants are smaller than traditional implants and require less bone mass for installation.
To learn more about tooth-replacement options, schedule an appointment with a dentist in your area.
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I had braces when I was a kid. Back then, you had to wear those metal wires and rubber bands for what seemed like forever. When I saw that my child’s teeth were going to be crooked like mine, I was dreading the years of braces and orthodontist appointments and limited diets that I saw stretching ahead of us. I was pleased to find out that braces today are very different from braces when I was a kid. They don’t need to be worn for nearly as long, and they aren’t as intrusive, either. My daughter got braces that can barely be seen, and she can remove them when she eats, so she doesn’t have to give up her favorite foods. I was so impressed that I started a blog to talk about modern day tooth straightening techniques. Braces have come a long way.