Which dental treatments can help with missing teeth?
Losing a tooth or multiple teeth can sometimes be a harrowing experience, but it is very common amongst dental Coorparoo patients. If you lose a tooth unexpectedly, or during out of practice hours, it is important that you inform us as soon as possible, so that we can recommend a dental Coorparoo treatment for you that can help with any discomfort or mental impacts you’re suffering from. Here at Brisbane Laser Dentist, we want you to feel comfortable at all times. Quality patient care is important to us and we’re always on hand to answer any questions or concerns that you might have.
In this short article, a member of our team will talk you through just some of the dental Coorparoo treatments that we provide for missing teeth, the process of them and a few of the benefits.
The causes of missing teeth
For some patients, missing teeth may come down to their genetics. It may be entirely possible for some teeth not to form once we become an adult, which can come down to malformation in the jawbone or other problems with gums. Gum disease also provides a high risk factor for missing teeth, as the gums often lose their strength and can no longer support or keep hold of teeth. Inflammation, redness, bleeding in the gums and gingivitis are all signs of gum disease, so you should seek our help if you start to see the signs even before you lose your tooth. Loss of a tooth can also come when you’re least expecting it, often from trauma or injury to the mouth. Sports injuries, falls and car accidents can cause you to lose your teeth.
Dental implants
Dental implants are just one treatment option for when you lose a tooth or several teeth. Dental implants are small metal screws that are installed securely into your jaw, before an artificial crown is placed on top to look like a real tooth. The jaw and the gum will heal around the metal screw and offer stability as if it were a real root. There are many benefits to having dental implants. When we lose a tooth, our gums, jawbone and surrounding tissues will start to disintegrate due to a lack of support, which can often result in our facial features looking sunken. Having an implant installed can once again provide stability, helping to avoid the face structure shrinking. They can also help to improve eating function.
Bridges
Bridges can help when there needs to be a more extensive repair done. They are made from a metal base, allowing them to offer more stability and making them hard-wearing. Bridges can also be attached to your jaw alongside dental implants in cases where you are missing teeth that are next to others. Similar to implants, bridges can restore eating function and offer more stability for the surrounding teeth.
Dentures
In cases where quite a few teeth or even all of your teeth are missing, we will most likely recommend dentures as the treatment plan. We will take impressions before installing the dentures which are made from a hard wearing material. They are made to fit snugly onto your gums while still being completely removable, which benefits dental hygiene. Dentures can sometimes take a while to get used to, but we are always available to offer advice and support, as well as answering any questions you might have.
All treatment carries risks. Individual consultation is required with one of our practitioners to ensure that the treatment is right for you.