With prosthetic dentistry, our team can replace missing teeth and help you enjoy a full smile again, so you can eat your favorite foods and feel more confident. From custom bridges to advanced dental implants, we can offer options that blend with your smile. In today’s blog, your Shrewsbury, MA, dentist talks about prosthetic dentistry.
The Causes and Impacts of Tooth Loss
Tooth loss can occur at any age, but for most of us this develops as we grow older and often due to periodontal disease. Without treatment to manage it, periodontal disease can reach a more advanced stage, one that destroys the tissues connecting your teeth and gums. When this occurs, you suffer from tooth loss. Missing teeth can impact how we eat and speak, and even increase the risk of issues like misalignment, TMJ disorder, and bruxism (teeth grinding). But your jawbone could weaken as well, which changes the shape of your ridge and increases the risk of further tooth loss and a prematurely aged appearance. Fortunately, we have dental prosthetics that can fill the gap in your smile and offer lifelike results!
Dental Bridges
For minor tooth loss, we could offer an option that doesn’t require oral surgery and can support replacement for between one and three missing teeth. A bridge contains these new teeth but has crowns on one or both ends. Made from ceramic, this can be shaded to blend with your smile and can also absorb daily bite forces with ease. We attach the crown portions to the teeth on each side of the gap in your smile, securing your new ones in place for 10 to 15 years on average.
Partial Dentures
What if you have a complicated case of tooth loss, with too many gaps to be addressed with a bridge, but enough natural teeth in place that a full denture isn’t necessary? In these situations, we can offer a partial. Custom-made based on detailed images and measurements we take of your smile, this contains new teeth designed to fit within the gaps of your smile. These are inserted into a base that looks like natural gum tissue, and there are metal clasps that remain hidden and attach to natural teeth to keep your dentures in place. This can offer 5 to 10 years of tooth replacement, and we can discuss proper care and maintenance.
Full Dentures
What if you have lost most or all of your teeth? In this situation, our team will extract the last few teeth and then take detailed images and measurements of the smile, so we can custom-make a prosthetic that fits comfortably and offers a balanced bite and a lifelike appearance. Your denture will have a complete row of replacement teeth made from durable and lifelike materials, set in a base that again looks like gum tissue. Suction or the assistance of an adhesive will keep the new teeth in place. As with removable partials, these tend to last about 5 to 10 years.
Dental Implants
While we offer traditional bridge and removable dentures, we also have a more long-lasting and durable solution for tooth loss. With dental implants, we will insert a unique biocompatible titanium post into the jawbone. Once in place, this acts like a new root and stimulates the growth of jawbone structure, which means there are no changes to your jaw ridge in the years to come. As a result, your dental implants can last for decades to come, possibly a lifetime. Our team can insert a post and attach an abutment and crown or address an individual missing tooth. We could also use several to support a bridge or a fixed denture, so you have a longer-lasting dental prosthetic that looks natural and blends with the smile.
If you have any questions about how our team will replace missing teeth and offer lifelike prosthetics, or if you would like to schedule your first visit of 2025 to start your journey to a full smile that makes you feel more comfortable, then contact our team today. Everyone deserves a full smile, and we want to make that possible for you in the new year!
Schedule a Visit for Dental Prosthetics
The team at Modern Dentistry of Shrewsbury in MA wants to help you smile with confidence by addressing your missing teeth. Don’t let the health, function, and beauty of your smile suffer due to untreated tooth loss. Instead, talk to our team about possible solutions with everything from bridges and dentures to dental implants. To schedule an appointment with us, call our office today at 508-842-8838.
