If you’re missing one or more teeth, take action right away to maintain your dental and whole-body health. The effects of a missing tooth or teeth can worsen over time. You may struggle to eat and speak properly, and a visible missing tooth may cause you personal discomfort or embarrassment. Missing teeth can also have negative consequences for your other teeth, increasing your risks of further damage and decay.
With today’s dental options, you don’t have to cope with a missing tooth. In addition to conventional denture plates, you may benefit from partial or full mouth dental implants. We can even use a combination of the two systems to create the best results for you. At Perfect Smiles Dental of Pleasant Hill, California, you can count on our expert care team to recommend the right treatment option for your dental and whole-body health needs.
If dentures are right for you
We’ve been using dentures to replace missing teeth for hundreds of years — dentures are one of the oldest dental technologies out there. Dentures can still be the best solution for many patients today. Dentures are simple to use and remove, and with contemporary materials and manufacturing techniques, the fit of dentures is better than ever before.
Dentures can only replace your missing teeth above the gumline, and aren’t connected to your jawbone, the way your natural teeth are. This can create some downsides around discomfort and function. You’ll need some time to adjust to dentures and become fully comfortable with the way they work and feel.
When you need single tooth or full-mouth implants
Today’s dentistry also offers you the option of going with dental implants. We can use dental implants to correct one or multiple missing teeth. We anchor your dental implants in your jaw. Once your implants are in place, they’re not removable, and look and feel similar to your natural teeth.
Implants tend to last longer than a set of dentures, and you don’t have to adjust to using an appliance in your mouth. They’re a great option if you’re in good physical health, with healthy gums and jaws. We may also be able to anchor a denture plate to an implant, creating an effective hybrid solution that bypasses some of the issues with denture slippage.
Take action now to maintain your oral health
No matter why you’re missing teeth, whether you had a tooth knocked out in an accident or lost teeth as a result of decay, it’s important to get the empty space seen by a professional. Leaving empty spaces in your smile isn’t just potentially embarrassing, it can damage your oral health. Teeth left standing on either side of a gap can crack or migrate, further skewing your bite. Over time, you may see your cheeks sink in, aging you prematurely, if you have missing teeth.
To speak to the Perfect Smiles Dental of Pleasant Hill care team about your missing teeth, and find out what treatment option will work best for you, get in touch today. You can schedule your initial consultation appointment over the phone, or request an appointment with the online tool.