Preparing for a Missing Tooth Consultation

Replacing your missing tooth protects your dental health while restoring the appearance of your smile. Replacing a lost tooth with an oral prosthetic often starts with a consultation with a dentist. The dentist evaluates the patient’s teeth and gums before recommending missing teeth replacement options that are best suited for them.

Getting ready for your missing tooth consultation

Consulting with a dentist about replacing a missing tooth is not much different than a routine dental visit. The dentist performs a visual assessment of the patient’s teeth, and diagnostics like X-rays may be taken to view underneath the gums.

The dentist will assess the patient’s dental and medical records, searching for issues that might make them ineligible for certain teeth replacement options. For example, people with diabetes are not always cleared for implants because that condition increases the risk of complications.

After the interview and examination phase, the dentist will recommend teeth replacement options. Popular ones include the following. 

1. Dental implants

Implants are among the most common ways to replace teeth. They are also the most comprehensive solutions for missing teeth because they replace teeth roots and crowns. The crown is the visible portion of a tooth, and its root is the part below the gum that is attached to the jawbone. The root helps keep the jawbone healthy by transferring bite forces into it.

Bone tissues in the jaw break down when they stop getting stimulated. Failing to replace a missing tooth with an implant leaves a person vulnerable to this bone tissue breakdown.

Placing implants in a person’s jaw requires minor oral surgery. They are given up to six months to bond with surrounding bone tissues. Restorations like crowns, a bridge, or dentures can then be attached to the implants.

2. Dentures

Replacing teeth with dentures is an inexpensive, non-invasive procedure, and patients can be fitted with them in as little as two weeks. Dentures have two main components: artificial teeth and a gum-colored framework that they are attached to.

Dentures can be broken up into two groups: partial and complete. Partial dentures are for people who have only lost a few teeth, while full denture sets are for those who have lost most of their teeth. Dentures are typically held in place via suction, and they can be combined with implants to create a more stable solution.

3. Bridges

Dental bridges are artificial teeth that are attached to the two teeth closest to the space left by the missing teeth. Those two teeth also have to be fitted for crowns by removing enamel from their sides. Bridges provide a more stable solution than dentures, but they also do not address the bone tissue loss that occurs due to missing teeth.

We replace missing teeth

Are you tired of the gap in your smile? Give us a call or stop by our San Jose clinic to set up an appointment with our dentist.

Request an appointment here: https://ddsbaik.com or call Dennis Baik, DDS at (408) 226-5560 for an appointment in our San Jose office.

Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Options For Replacing Missing Teeth in San Jose, CA.