Dental Restoration Options for a Missing Tooth

The good news for adults with missing teeth is that multiple dental restoration options are available. Some are fixed, permanent solutions, while others involve removable appliances. There is no one superior option for restoring missing teeth. The right solution depends on how many teeth are missing and where inside the mouth they were lost.

Causes of tooth loss

Before explaining the different options available for restoring one or more missing teeth, look at the reasons that teeth go missing in the first place. Loss of permanent teeth has several possible causes.

Trauma

A blow to the face from a fall, due to a car accident or during sports can cause tooth loss in one of two ways. It can either knock a tooth out completely or damage it so severely that extraction becomes necessary.

Tooth decay

If a cavity allows bacteria to infect the pulp of the tooth and a root canal is not effective at resolving the infection, it may mean the loss of the tooth.

Periodontal disease

Bacterial infection can also affect the gums, i.e., the structures in the mouth primarily responsible for holding the teeth in place. Left untreated, gum disease can advance to the point where tooth loss results.

Other risk factors

Habits and lifestyle factors, such as teeth grinding, poor nutrition and smoking, can lead to tooth loss. It may also be the effect of other diseases, such as diabetes.

Options for dental restoration

Regardless of the cause of the tooth loss, there are multiple methods for restoring the teeth that are missing.

Partial or complete dentures

If all the teeth are missing, dentures may be the recommended option. However, there are also partial dentures available when multiple teeth are missing in the same area. Dentures may either be removable or supported by implants so that they are fixed more permanently in the mouth. In either case, they consist of artificial acrylic prostheses with the appearance of natural teeth. Full dentures are set in plates, while partial dentures may clip to remaining teeth.

Bridges

Another option for people with a gap left by one or more adjacent teeth is a bridge. Unlike dentures, bridges are usually fixed permanently to the teeth on either side of the gap to hold them in place. If the missing teeth are in the front, a resin-bonded bridge may be a good option. Bridges can also be supported by implants.

Implants

Implants can be a solution for those who have only one tooth missing or a few teeth missing in different areas of the mouth. An oral surgeon first performs a procedure to place a metal shaft directly into the jawbone. After the implant has had several months to heal, the surgeon then attaches a prosthesis with the appearance of a real tooth. Though the procedure is complicated, implants are a long-lasting option that closely approximates the look, feel and function of natural teeth.

Conclusion

Each dental restoration option has advantages and disadvantages. A patient and dental professional can choose the most appropriate based on the particular situation.

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