Your teeth perform more functions than simply chewing; they are necessary for healthy gums and jaw, they are needed to speak, they keep facial muscles and tissue in position and they prevent your other teeth from shifting. The loss of even one tooth or several teeth, whether it is due to neglect, an accident or old age, can adversely affect your life.
Missing teeth can impact your appearance, self-confidence and, more importantly, your long-term oral and medical health. Gaps caused by missing teeth affect the way your jaw closes, making it more difficult for you to eat and chew food and opposing teeth start to tilt or drift into the open space.
Your Dentist can provide ways to replace your missing tooth or teeth, including fixed bridge dentures, dental implants and removable partial or full dentures. You may be a candidate for any one or all of these procedures, depending on your particular circumstances.
A fixed bridge is a tooth replacement attached with cement to the adjacent natural teeth if they are healthy and strong enough to support the artificial tooth. This procedure usually takes two or three visits to complete and the bridge can last five to fifteen years.
Dental implants are used to replace a single tooth, many teeth on one side or to support an entire fixed or removable bridge, replacing all the upper or lower teeth. Implants have a healing phase of three to nine months and you have to commit to good oral hygiene.
A partial and full denture is a set of artificial teeth that are not fixed permanently to your own natural teeth and require about five to seven visits over a period of at least a month. Partial dentures can replace a single tooth or several teeth while full dentures replace all of your top and/or bottom teeth.
The dental professionals at Lansdowne West Dental at 1524 Lansdowne Street West can advise you on the best way to replace your missing tooth. To arrange an appointment, call 705-742-9999 or email them at dentist@nexicom.net. For more information visit their website www.lansdownewestdental.com.