Cosmetic Tooth Restoration Options
Cosmetic tooth restorations offer you medical as well as aesthetic benefit. It is never good to have even so much as one tooth missing in your mouth. As we will see in a moment, delaying treatment has some very serious consequences that can make your life miserable if you procrastinate seeking treatment. The good news is that if you are missing one or more teeth, there are several options available for you to consider. Regardless of your finances or current state of dental health, one of them is ideal for you.
Procrastination: Why Not to Do It.
If you are thinking about putting off treatment, you need to know that without teeth and tooth roots, the jawbone in that area gradually shrinks. Jawbones have nerves just like all other tissues in the body. As tooth roots vibrate during the course of chewing, these nerves are stimulated and cause the bone cells to remain active, rejuvenated, and healthy. Without roots to carry this stimulus, however, the jaw atrophies, weakens, and begins to deteriorate.
This will change your appearance in a number of ways. It will alter the shape of your upper and lower arches, which will have a visible impact on your cheeks and mouth. You will wrinkle and look older than you are. Waiting on treatment will make future corrections more complicated and expensive.
Without some sort of cosmetic tooth restoration, you will also have difficulty chewing, and you may repeatedly bite your lips and cheeks. This is because teeth rely upon each other for support. When even one is lost, every tooth around it shifts. This will cause a chain reaction of dental problems, including increased risk for tooth decay and periodontal disease, changes to your bite, and even TMJ problems.
One option is to wear an implant-supported crown or bridge.
Unlike partial dentures and bridges, an implant replaces the roots of missing teeth. This will ensure that the jaw continues to get the necessary stimulation it needs for the bone to stay healthy and retain its natural shape. Once the healing process following implantation is complete, a porcelain crown, partial dentures, or implant-supported dental bridge can be placed over it.
Provided you are a viable candidate for dental implantation and can afford the cost, we recommend this as the very best possible cosmetic tooth restoration. However, if you cannot afford it at this time, or if other mitigating factors prohibit implantation, we have two alternatives we can provide to you.
You can wear a standard dental bridge.
There are several types of standard dental bridges that can be used as effective and very attractive cosmetic tooth restorations. All of them anchor permanently to neighboring teeth. This requires us to reduce the size anchoring teeth and reshape them, even if they are healthy. This is not always good for every patient, because in some people, it can lead to decay and root canal therapy.
If nothing else, for the time being, you can wear a partial denture as a cosmetic tooth restoration.
A partial is held in place by clasps or special attachments, and it is removable for sleeping and cleaning. Today’s partials look much more natural and can be relined and readjusted to maintain comfort and functionality. However, they will not prevent bone loss, so we recommend this only as a last ditch effort or a stop gap, temporary measure until such time as you can qualify for a superior cosmetic tooth restoration.
Procrastination: Why Not to Do It.
If you are thinking about putting off treatment, you need to know that without teeth and tooth roots, the jawbone in that area gradually shrinks. Jawbones have nerves just like all other tissues in the body. As tooth roots vibrate during the course of chewing, these nerves are stimulated and cause the bone cells to remain active, rejuvenated, and healthy. Without roots to carry this stimulus, however, the jaw atrophies, weakens, and begins to deteriorate.
This will change your appearance in a number of ways. It will alter the shape of your upper and lower arches, which will have a visible impact on your cheeks and mouth. You will wrinkle and look older than you are. Waiting on treatment will make future corrections more complicated and expensive.
Without some sort of cosmetic tooth restoration, you will also have difficulty chewing, and you may repeatedly bite your lips and cheeks. This is because teeth rely upon each other for support. When even one is lost, every tooth around it shifts. This will cause a chain reaction of dental problems, including increased risk for tooth decay and periodontal disease, changes to your bite, and even TMJ problems.
One option is to wear an implant-supported crown or bridge.
Unlike partial dentures and bridges, an implant replaces the roots of missing teeth. This will ensure that the jaw continues to get the necessary stimulation it needs for the bone to stay healthy and retain its natural shape. Once the healing process following implantation is complete, a porcelain crown, partial dentures, or implant-supported dental bridge can be placed over it.
Provided you are a viable candidate for dental implantation and can afford the cost, we recommend this as the very best possible cosmetic tooth restoration. However, if you cannot afford it at this time, or if other mitigating factors prohibit implantation, we have two alternatives we can provide to you.
You can wear a standard dental bridge.
There are several types of standard dental bridges that can be used as effective and very attractive cosmetic tooth restorations. All of them anchor permanently to neighboring teeth. This requires us to reduce the size anchoring teeth and reshape them, even if they are healthy. This is not always good for every patient, because in some people, it can lead to decay and root canal therapy.
If nothing else, for the time being, you can wear a partial denture as a cosmetic tooth restoration.
A partial is held in place by clasps or special attachments, and it is removable for sleeping and cleaning. Today’s partials look much more natural and can be relined and readjusted to maintain comfort and functionality. However, they will not prevent bone loss, so we recommend this only as a last ditch effort or a stop gap, temporary measure until such time as you can qualify for a superior cosmetic tooth restoration.
Labels: cosmetic tooth restorations
posted by Dental Expert at
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