Categories: Restorative Dentistry

Discussing Your Prosthodontic Options

When you have gaps in your smile, it can cause feelings of self-consciousness and may even cause problems for your oral health. To prevent further loss, there are prosthetic options available, like dentures or bridges, which can replace your missing teeth. Your team at MMC Dental in Houston, TX, can discuss these options and help you determine the best one for your needs.

Bridge The Gap In Your Smile

If you are missing several teeth, a bridge or dentures may be able to give you a complete grin again. The option chosen for you will depend on the severity of the tooth loss and your personal needs. A dental bridge may be used for patients who have up to three missing teeth in a row. This is a permanent replacement option that does not need to be removed to care for. It will be held in place by the adjacent teeth, which may have crowns added for extra support.

Dentures may be used if you have more severe tooth loss, do not have natural teeth that can support a bridge, or have tooth loss in several places throughout your oral cavity. These can be complete, which replaces an entire arch, or partial, which fills in the gaps.

Implants Provide Permanent Support

Bridges and dentures are a helpful option, but they do not replace the root of the structure. The root of your tooth helps keep your gums in place and supports your jawbone. Without it, the jawbone can weaken over time, which can result in further loss. To combat this problem, you may be able to receive dental implants. This is a permanent prosthetic option that uses posts to mimic the root. These will be inserted deep below the gumline and will fuse to the jawbone.

Before deciding between the best option for your needs, you will need a consultation with your dentist. They will examine your smile and go through your options. To be a good candidate for implants, you will need to have healthy teeth and gums. Then, the process can begin. If your dentist determines that bridges or dentures may be more suitable for your needs, they will take an impression of your oral cavity and send these measurements to a lab to create your prosthetic.

Restoring Your Smile

In some cases, you may not need to fully replace a tooth. Instead, the damaged structure may be able to be restored. The type of restoration done will depend on your scenario. For example, if you have broken a tooth, it may be repaired with the help of a crown. If the tooth is severely decayed or is causing you discomfort, a root canal may be able to help relieve this pain.