Missing Teeth

A missing tooth can affect your confidence in your smile

Many people are missing a single tooth that affects their confidence in their smile. However, the cosmetic impact is just one of many ways in which a missing tooth can affect us. The absence of the tooth may result in a noticeable reduction in function. It will also increase the load on the remaining teeth and may leave them more vulnerable to failure. Finally, adjacent and opposing teeth may drift into the gap, leading ultimately to an altered bite and pain from the muscular and joint dysfunction.

The cosmetic and functional impacts of missing teeth increase as more teeth are lost.

Conventional dentistry can do much to replace missing teeth. Broadly, traditional solutions fall into two categories; Bridges and Dentures. There are occasions when these are the most appropriate solutions, and they can deliver completely satisfactory results.

In other cases, conventional solutions are unsatisfactory. In the case of bridge work, this is usually because unacceptable destruction of healthy tooth tissue is caused. In addition, the bone at the site of the missing teeth will continue to shrink away, which can result in cosmetic and hygiene problems. In the case of dentures, this is generally because individuals with removable teeth experience loss of function and confidence.

Single tooth

For people who are missing a single tooth, an implant can be the most conservative and cost-effective way of restoring the gap. For single teeth, implant-supported crowns remove the need to grind down adjacent teeth and prevent the bone from shrinking away. Implant-supported crowns can be made to look completely natural.

Several missing teeth

For people missing several teeth, implant-borne bridge work are a safe and predictable way of restoring function and appearance.

Denture-retention

Conventional dentures can provide a satisfactory solution for patients missing some or all of their teeth. For other individuals, however, they are loose or ill-fitting leading to loss of function and a lack of confidence.

For denture-wearers, or those for whom dentures will be necessary due to an imminent loss of teeth, implants can improve the situation in many ways. For some, implant-borne bridge work can entirely avoid the need for dentures. Other individuals may still require a removable solution but, with implants to secure it, it can provide an excellent cosmetic and functional solution in which the patient can have complete confidence. Implant-retained dentures click firmly into place, patients can have confidence that they are not going to be embarrassed by loose false teeth, and the function is much better.

Where teeth have been missing for many years, a removable solution is often preferable to a fixed solution as the face can be supported better. Where teeth have been lost more recently, patients often prefer a fixed solution.

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