Your smile can’t function correctly without all of your teeth. Even one gap can throw off the balance of your bite and limit the kind of foods you can eat comfortably. But that space doesn’t have to stay empty; you have plenty of options to choose from when it comes to new teeth that will restore your grin. Whether you’ve lost a tooth recently or have been missing a few for years, now is a good time to call Magnolia Shores Family Dental and schedule an appointment with Dr. Parry to replace missing teeth in Summerfield, NC.
About one to three teeth in a row can be replaced at once with a dental bridge. The restoration consists of two porcelain crowns that hold one or more false teeth called “pontics” between them. To set the bridge in place, we’ll need to make small changes to the teeth on either side of the gap (also known as the “abutment teeth”) so that they can support the crowns. Bridges normally have a lifespan of about 10 to 15 years as long as you practice good oral hygiene.
When several teeth have been lost, you might need to consider dentures. If an entire arch is gone or needs to be removed, full dentures are typically the best solution; however, partial dentures are also available for filling in gaps in multiple areas of your smile where you still have plenty of healthy natural teeth. Dentures are typically made with carefully shaded ceramic teeth and a gum-colored base; full dentures sit directly on the gums while partial dentures have metal clasps to stay in place.
Traditional bridges and dentures can’t prevent all the consequences of missing teeth. Without the stimulation of the roots that were lost, the underlying jawbone will start to break down. However, you can preserve the jawbone and provide your new teeth with strong, sturdy support if you get dental implants. Implants can easily last for decades, and they help patients look and feel like their teeth never went missing in the first place.