Tooth Replacement Options: Dental Implants, Bridges and Dentures

Dental Implants

Many patients choose dental implants as a tooth replacement option to replace a single tooth, several or even to support a full set of dentures. A dental implant is an artificial tooth root placed into the jaw to hold a replacement tooth. Dental implants are an ideal option for people who generally have good oral health and have lost a tooth or teeth due to various reasons like injury, periodontal disease or any other reason. They are in most cases made of titanium which is a strong and lightweight metal or any other material that is compatible with the human body. A majority of people find dental implants to be an ideal method and feel very comfortable with them. However, dental implants cannot apply to everyone. For dental implants to be installed, the patient must undergo a surgical process, due to this reason the patient must have good health in general. Either the patient must have adequate jawbone so as to be able to support the implants or undergo surgery to build up the specific areas needing the implant. The patient should also be ready to commit to a proper oral care and regular visits to the dentist.

The basis of modern dental implants is a process known as osseointegration in which compatible material to the body such as titanium is allowed to fuse with the jawbone. First, the implant fixture is placed so that it can osseointegrate before placing a dental prosthetic ( bridge, tooth or denture). The healing process of a patient may slow if the patient is suffering some chronic diseases such as leukaemia or diabetes. Patients suffering from this conditions may not be good candidates for dental implants. Other factors that may also slow the healing process includes the use of tobacco. Before a patient can receive dental implants, the dentist will recommend if that is the best option for him or her. While placing the implant, the dentist evaluates the amount of stress that will be impacted on it during normal functioning like eating. Initial planning of the position and number of the implants is paramount to the long-term health of the prosthetic. This is because there can be some significant forces created during chewing. The final prosthetic can either be removable or fixed. Removable prosthetic is that which the patient can be able to remove while fixed prosthetic is that which is permanent and the patient cannot be able to remove. In each of this cases, an abutment is attached to the implant fixture. The risk and complications that may arise during the procedure are divided into two; those that may arise during the surgery and those that may arise after. Those that may arise during the surgery include nerve injury and excessive bleeding. Those that may arise after includes failure to osseointegration and infection. If the patient has good overall health, the success rate of dental implants ranges from 93 to 98 percent and can support biomechanical loads for up to 5 years.

What is involved in a Dental Implant?

There are different types of dental implants. Depending on the type, treatment can either take a single day, several months or somewhere between. The dentist will outline a treatment plan that is the best and most likely to be successful for the patient. There are three major phases involved:

– Placement of The Implant

In this phase, the dentist places the implant through surgical methods into the jawbone. The first step is soft tissue reflection. This step involves placing an incision over the crest of the bone so as to split the thicker attached gingiva. The edges of the tissue that are referred to as flap are pushed backwards so that the bone can be exposed. The next step is drilling under high speed. During this step, the dentist makes pilot holes with precision drills at a high but regulated speed so as to prevent pressure necrosis or burning of the bone. The oral surgeon then drills the pilot hole at low speed to expand it to fit the implant. The dentist then places the implants and allows them time to adapt to the tissue.

– The Healing Process

What makes the implant to be strong is the fact that bone actually grows around it and helps in holding it in place. This process may take some time, and some patients may have to wait until the implant has completely healed so that they can replace the teeth. This can take several months. There some patients that can have both the implant and teeth replacement on the same day.

– Replacing The Missing Tooth or Teeth (Prosthesis)

The final phase is where the dentist now places a custom-made bridge, crown or dentures to fit the patient’s mouth and the implants. Once attached, the replacement tooth or teeth will appear just like the natural teeth, and it will be very hard to tell the difference. Prosthesis always takes some time to heal, but in the meantime, the dentist can give a temporal bridge or crown. This can help the patient speak and eat normally until the permanent replacement is ready.

Advantages of Using Dental Implants

– Maintains The Integrity of The Remaining Teeth

On top of functioning and looking just like the natural teeth, a dental implant replaces a single tooth without necessarily affecting the neighbouring teeth. Other replacement option relies on the support of the neighbouring teeth.

– Maintain Bone Health

The jawbone is better preserved since the implant will replace the tooth root. Implant integrate with the jawbone, assisting to keep the jawbone intact and healthy. With some other methods, some of the bone that surrounded the tooth previously starts to deteriorate.

– Long-Term Benefits

In the long-term, implants are comfortable aesthetic and functional. With some other methods, the gum may begin to deteriorate around this area and leave physical defect. This can lead to collapsed and unattractive smile.

Maintenance

After dental implants have been placed, the patient is expected to carry out normal dental care procedure similar to natural teeth. The patient should brush and floss just as it’s in natural teeth. It is also advisable that the patient visits the dentist on a regular basis since it can suffer periodontal disease. The proclaim on crowns is expected to crack, discolour or need repair after approximately ten years, however, this largely depends on the material used.

Bridges

Dental bridges just like dental implants are used to replace missing teeth. Dental bridge bridges the gap created by one or more missing teeth. A bridge is a fixed dental restoration used to replace one or more missing teeth by permanently joining an artificial tooth to the adjacent teeth or dental implants. A bridge is made up of two or more dental crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap. These two or more anchoring teeth are known as abutment teeth. Types of bridges may vary depending on their fabrication and the way they anchor to the adjacent teeth.

Consultation and Treatment Planning

Once the dentist has carried out the appropriate examination and has resolved that the patient will receive dental bridges as the best replacement method for the missing tooth or teeth, the dentist will advise on different materials. The availability of material will depend on a number of factors. Some of them include; where the bridge is purposed to be placed, patient’s insurance cover and some other factors the dentist will outline. Bridges can today be fabricated from a combination of metal and porcelain, gold and porcelain, or with some metal free materials such as alumina or zirconia. In the planning stage for an ideal restoration, the dentist will take some X-rays and impressions of the treatment area and preoperative photographs as well. Depending on the number of consecutive teeth the patient is missing, the bridge could be three or more units, two crowns cemented to the teeth on either side of the space (knowns as abutments), plus one or more fake teeth to fill the space (known as pontics). The dentist will take additional impressions after preparing the abutment teeth.

Candidacy and Procedure Details

During a patient’s first visit, the dentist is expected to examine the current state of the patient’s gums and how healthy they are to evaluate if the patient is a candidate. Qualified candidates are then given a local anaesthetic so that the dentist can be able to prepare the required teeth to support the bridge. If by any chance the support teeth are in bad shape in that they are badly broken down or decayed, the dentist will first be required to build them back before they can support the bridge. Next, the dentist will take an impression of the prepared teeth with a material which is putty-like that is used to come up with a model of the teeth. A skilled lab technician will use this model to fabricate the bridge so that it can accurately and comfortably fit the patient. It is important that the dental bridge fits the patient well so as to avoid any future dental health complications such as tooth decay. The patient will have to wait for the restoration to be fabricated, during this time the dentist will fit him or her with temporary to protect teeth and gums from damage until the permanent bridge is ready. This means that for the procedure to be complete, the patient must return to the dentist for a second visit to have the bridge fitted and cemented.

Recovery and Post Procedure Care

After cementing the bridge into place, the dentist will provide the patient with a list of to do and not to do things when it comes to dental hygiene so that the restoration can last longer along with the health of the teeth and gums. The patient will also be given a special floss threader that will allow proper flossing in the areas supporting the bridge and between the underlying gums tissue.

What are The Benefits of Dental Bridges?

– They restore the ability to talk in a proper manner

– Restore a beautiful smile

– Prevents the remaining teeth from getting out of position

– Properly distributes the force in the patient’s bite by replacing the missing teeth

– Maintains the shape of the face

Types of Dental Bridges Available

There are four types of dental bridges that a patient can choose from. This include:

– Traditional Dental Bridges

These are the most popular among the available options. These bridges include one or more pontics and are held in place by dental crowns. These dental crowns (also known as abutments) are cemented onto the teeth which are adjacent to the missing tooth. These bridges can only be used when the patient have natural teeth on the both side of the missing tooth. One good thing about the traditional bridges is that they are strong enough in that they can be able to replace molars. The dentist will be required to prepare the adjacent teeth by removing their enamel so that he can create room for the crown which will be later cemented on top.

– Cantilever Bridges

Cantilever bridges are very similar to the traditional bridges only that an abutment supports cantilever bridges only on one side instead of both sides. This means that if there is only one side available to the missing tooth, the replacement can still be possible. Just like traditional bridges, the dentist will need to remove the enamel of the adjacent support tooth so that it can support the bridge. This method is, however, not very common nowadays and is only recommended for teeth located at the back of the mouth where there is no much pressure to damage them.

– Maryland Bridges

Also known as Maryland bonded bridges or resin-bonded bridges, they are considered as a conservative alternative to traditional dental bridges. Maryland bridges consist of pontics held in place by porcelain or metal framework. The framework is bonded onto the back of the two adjacent teeth to the missing tooth. The adjacent teeth don’t need to be filled since the bridge is not held in place by crowns. While Maryland bridges have lots of advantages, they also do have their downfall. They have limited strength compared to traditional bridges so they may not stay in places where the teeth are subjected to a lot of pressure like the molars.

– Implant-Supported Bridges

Implant supported bridges can be used when the patient has more than one teeth missing. These bridges are supported by dental implants instead of being supported by frameworks or crown. One implant is usually placed for every missing tooth, and this continues to all the teeth the patient has lost. However, if placing one implant for every lost tooth is not possible, the bridge may consist of pontic suspended between two implant supported crowns. These bridges are the most comfortable just as the natural teeth because dental implants secure them. Patients are expected to provide good dental hygiene that includes normal brushing and flossing so that the bridge can last longer.

Dentures

Dentures, which are also knowns as false teeth are a removable prosthetic device made to replace missing teeth and adjoining tissues. They are supported by the surrounding hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity. Complete dentures are made to replace all the teeth while partial dentures replace only a section and prevent other surrounding teeth from shifting position. Complete dentures are divided into two that is convectional and immediate. A convection denture is used when the dentist have removed all the teeth that were available in the mouth and have left the sites for a period of time to heal. On the other hand, immediate dentures are placed as soon as the teeth are removed.

Who Needs Dentures?

People who qualify as good candidates for complete dentures have either lost most or all of their teeth. A partial denture is ideal for those people who have only lost a section of their natural teeth, and there are some remaining. As mentioned above, a denture improves speech of a person, chewing ability and provides support for facial muscles. The use of dentures can in a great way enhance an individual’s smile and facial appearance.

How are Dentures Acquired?

The process involved in receiving dentures takes about one full month. Usually, there are about five or more dentist appointments needed so as to complete the process. The denture process starts with the initial diagnosis. This part involves making of an impression and wax bite in order to determine the proper jaw position and the dimensions. This tries to take the proper jaw shape, fit and colour for the final denture. Once the dentures are ready, and the patient has started using them, they need time to be accustomed to them because even the best fitting denture will feel awkward at first. The ability to speak in a normal way resumes shortly after the placement of the final dentures. Additionally, in order to become accustomed to chewing food with the new dentures, it is recommended to first start with easy-to-chew soft foods. To ensure that the denture fits properly, it is best to visit the dentist on a regular basis.

Benefits

Denture comes with a number of benefits, some of them include:

– Aesthetics

Dentures give the face a natural appearance and also supports the cheeks and lips and rectify the collapse appearance brought about by tooth loss.

– Mastication

The chewing ability is restored by placing edentulous areas with dentures.

– Self-esteem

Improves speech and looks boosts an individual’s self-esteem since they possess the ability to interact socially.

– Pronunciation

Since replacing missing teeth enables a person to speak better, there is an improvement in pronouncing words containing fricatives and sibilants.

How to Provide Proper Care to Dentures

– Remove and brush the denture daily using a denture cleanser and toothpaste. Use a brush that is specifically meant for brushing dentures.

– Avoid the use of hot water when sterilising the dentures because the use of hot water can cause the dentures to lose initial shape.

– While not wearing the denture, it is advisable to soak it in water or denture cleanser.

– For patients using partial dentures, first, remove them before cleaning the natural teeth.

– Store the denture in the same place so as to avoid misplacing it.

Should Denture be worn at Night?

While most patients are advised to wear their dentures continually even at night especially within the first two weeks, it is best to remove them during the night. Research haves it that removing dentures at night allows the gum to rest and stimulate normal cleansing of the mouth by the tongue and saliva. By doing this, the patient promotes better long-term health of the gums.