When you know that you will need to have a tooth extraction, you should immediately begin working with your dentist to develop a plan to replace that tooth (or teeth). There are many compelling reasons to restore a complete smile.
Depending on your circumstances, you may have multiple treatment options for restoring your smile after tooth loss. Your dentist can discuss all of them thoroughly and help you identify the pros and cons so that you can decide on a prosthetic that will best meet your needs.
Importance Of Restoring Your Smile After Tooth Loss
Some patients may waver on replacing an extracted tooth at all, especially if it’s not in a highly visible location in the smile. However, for a number of reasons, it’s actually quite important to restore your complete smile after tooth extraction.
First of all, when a gap is left in the smile, the remaining teeth are likely to shift out of position to fill in the empty space. This process will result in a misaligned smile and subjects teeth to unusual forces that could potentially harm them.
Of course, your appearance also suffers when you have a space in your smile, as does your ability to speak clearly and chew. In order to preserve all of these aspects of your smile, you should explore tooth replacement options available after tooth extraction.
Tooth Replacement Options
So, how can you replace a missing tooth? Different approaches will be suitable in different cases. Here is an overview of the options.
- Fixed dental bridge: Crowns are placed on teeth adjacent to the extracted tooth to support a pontic (artificial crown). A dental bridge can be used to replace a single tooth or a small number of consecutive teeth.
- Dentures: These appliances are typically used to replace a larger number of teeth, up to an entire arch. A partial denture replaces fewer teeth and attaches to adjacent teeth using metal clasps.
- Dental implants: This structurally complete tooth replacement option consists of a small titanium cylinder that serves as an artificial root to support a prosthetic, which can be a single crown, bridge or denture, depending on the patient’s needs.
After evaluating your case, your provider can make recommendations for you and answer any questions you may have about the options you are considering.
Are you exploring your treatment options for tooth extraction and replacement? Schedule an evaluation at DeSanti & Linden Dentistry to learn which treatment might be right for you.
