Ask the Dentist!
Replacing missing teeth: What are my options?
According to the American College of Prosthodontists, as many as 120 million Americans are missing at least on tooth. Location of the missing tooth will most of the time determine the desire to replace the missing tooth or not. Location, as well as several other factors, will determine the replacement options. Replacement options can include a removable appliance or a fixed appliance. In this article, I will briefly cover replacement options, pros and cons of each, and factors that limit each option.
Removable Appliances
As the name implies this option involves an appliance that can be removed by the patient and can replace a single or multiple teeth.
Removable Partial Denture (RPD)
When one or more, but not all, teeth are missing, an RPD may be an option to replace teeth. The RPD relies on other teeth for support and retention. The remaining natural teeth need to be in good health to provide a stability to the RPD.
The pros for this type of appliance are:
- multiple teeth can be replaced with one appliance
- if more teeth are lost they can be added to the same appliance
- they tend to be relatively stable
- cost will not generally be as much as other options
Limiting factors include but are not limited to:
- uncontrolled periodontal disease of the remaining teeth
- advanced decay of the remaining teeth
- too many missing teeth
Removable Complete Denture (denture)
When all the teeth are missing, a complete denture is made. A denture is not as stable as an RPD since there are no natural teeth present. Support and retention of the denture is provided by the bone and gums of the jaw. The bone is present in the upper and lower jaw to hold and support teeth. When teeth are lost, the bone of the jaw will begin to resorb. The more bone resorption that occurs the less stable a denture will be. The pros for a denture are the lower cost to replace all the missing teeth. There are easier to clean since they can be removed and cleaned outside of the mouth. The cons are that due to the lack of natural teeth they tend to be less stable making it more difficult to chew certain types of food.
Fixed Appliances
Fixed Partial Denture (bridge)
A bridge can be used to replace multiple teeth as long as there are natural teeth on either side of the space where teeth are missing. Teeth adjacent to the space are used to support the bridge and dental cement is used to firmly secure the bridge in place. A fixed bridge cannot be removed by the patient giving a more natural feel than an RPD. Since a bridge cannot be removed, cleaning under and around can take a bit more time and effort. The adjacent teeth need to be in good dental health and will have to be prepared so that the bridge can fit over the teeth. On the plus side a bridge is much more stable and will feel more natural.
Dental Implant
A dental implant is a root shaped screw made of surgical titanium, the same used in artificial hip and knee replacements. They can be used to replace single teeth, multiple teeth and secure and stabilize both removable and fixed appliances. The site where the implant is placed needs to have good bone height and volume in order to properly secure the implant. The patient needs to be in good health, both physically and dentally for the best possible outcome. Although the most expensive option it is also the most conservative since other teeth do not have to be cut down and more like natural teeth to care for.
If you are missing teeth and want to explore your options give us a call at 225-926-4203!