Missing a tooth is such a daunting experience. Everyone loves a perfectly beautiful smile and when you lose even just one tooth, the beauty of your smile is greatly affected. Luckily, there are already several ways to replace missing teeth so there’s no need to worry that much anymore.
Dental implant procedure is the most recommended treatment for those who are looking for long term remedy for lost tooth. A titanium post is implanted into the jawbone through surgery. When it heals, an artificial tooth is then attached to the top of the metal post to replace the missing tooth. There are several forms of dental implants available in Townsville dental clinic. Here are the 3 types and how they differ from one another.
Single Implant
A single implant is perfect if you’re only filling in one missing tooth. It only needs one titanium post and an artificial tooth crown. It will take about 3 to 4 months for the implant to fully heal and fuse with the jawbone. During this time, you’ll need to take extra care in order to speed up the healing process and avoid infection. Single dental implants are perfect if you have one missing tooth or even multiple ones as long as they are not adjacent to each other. However, if you have missing teeth that are adjacent from one another, this type is not the best fit for you.
Implant-Supported Bridge
If you have 2 or more missing teeth that are adjacent from one another, the best option for you is an implant-supported bridge. In this procedure, a bridge is held in place by dental implants rather than natural teeth. Instead of having an implant per missing tooth, you only need to have the implant on both adjacent ends.
The gap won’t receive an implant but will only be filled in by a bridge made from artificial tooth. You can save much with this procedure since you don’t need to have an implant per missing teeth. However, the gap without an implant may lose some bone mass since it doesn’t have a support underneath it.
Implant-Retain Denture
If you have plenty of missing teeth, for example and entire row, those 2 procedures mentioned above are not a good option for you. Instead, an implant-retain denture is the best solution for you. Unlike traditional dentures that don’t hold well and can fall, slip, or move while you’re eating or talking, an implant-retained denture is fixed and looks more like permanent.
A denture is a set of artificial teeth attached to a gum-coloured base which rests on the gumline. To make it sturdier, it is held by 4 metal posts that are implanted into the jawbone. You can now smile, talk and eat without worries.
Considering a dental implant is one of the best solutions in dealing with missing teeth. It is a safe procedure and offers a high rate of success once you pass the standards of being a good candidate for this procedure.