“Every tooth in a man’s head is more valuable than a diamond.” Strong and bright teeth play a vital role in day-to-day life activities. They not only help in eating and chewing food, but also aid in maintaining a good social status on both personal and professional fronts by instilling self-confidence. The first step of food digestion, i.e., chewing food and forming the bolus, is done with the combined efforts of teeth, tongue, and saliva.
“Smile is the curve that sets everything right,” and teeth are the ones that let you have a beautiful smile. Teeth aid in speech and the formation of certain words that help us to communicate and present our thoughts in front of people. Certain facial expressions are made possible only with teeth in the mouth. A well-balanced occlusion, i.e., the contact of upper and lower teeth, is essential in maintaining the integrity and function of the jaw joint (temporomandibular joint) and proper functioning of the masticatory muscles, including the buccinator muscle.
With the loss of one or more teeth, the activities mentioned above are affected in one way or the other. The chewing of food becomes difficult and hence leading to improper digestion. Moreover, people are seen to lose their confidence and a sense of self-respect due to the loss of teeth. This blog has tried to explain different types of dentures and implants available at a dental office that can be inserted at the site of missing tooth or teeth and regain lost confidence.
Different types of dentures and implants available to replace missing teeth
Missing teeth or teeth can negatively impact the teeth’ alignment and affect day-to-day life activities. A missing tooth can be replaced with an artificial one at a dental office by a well-qualified and experienced dental professional. Artificial teeth are of two main types: removable and fixed partial or complete dentures. The latest artificial tooth type is a dental implant fixed inside the jaw bone, and the tooth crown or cap is set over it after the site is healed.
As the name suggests, removable dentures are placed at the site of a missing tooth and can be removed easily by the patient. They can be of both types, partial when replacing single or more teeth, and complete removable dentures are fabricated to replace the whole set of the missing teeth, either upper or lower or both sets of teeth. The artificial teeth are manufactured over a plate made of dental material such as acrylic and kept in place by taking the support of natural teeth near the missing teeth using a clasp. The patient can remove the denture when required and clean it using denture powders and cleaners, and wear it again.
The fixed dentures are fabricated in crown and bridge, where the missing tooth is replaced with an artificial tooth using support from nearby natural teeth. The whole set of crowns and bridges can be fabricated using different materials, like an entire metal crown, cap, or tooth-colored material. The tooth-colored material includes porcelain that is usually combined with metal inside and porcelain outside to give a good appearance. Apart from this, zirconia and E-max crowns or tooth caps are fabricated using the whole of this material and are tooth-colored to match the color of other teeth in the mouth.
Dental implants are the latest ones that aid in replacing missing tooth/teeth with an artificial one. They can be used to replace a single tooth or multiple teeth. A dental implant is inserted inside the jaw bone at the site of the missing tooth by doing a minor surgery, and the area is left for sometimes for healing. After the site is healed, the tooth cap is inserted over the implant, which simulates the natural tooth to a certain extent. Implant-supported bridges are an economical option in case you have several missing teeth in a row. They are quite effective and provide a natural look to the patient.
Conclusion
You may lose a tooth because of various reasons such as tooth decay, loosening, and ultimate falling of teeth due to gum infection, tooth fracture, or any trauma to the teeth while playing, extreme physical exercise, or road traffic accident. Replacing the lost tooth or teeth is mandatory to maintain the proper functioning of the jaw muscles and the temporomandibular joint.
There are multiple options available at a dental office where you can choose according to your choice and financial conditions. Dental professionals are experts who help their patients in replacing their lost teeth and self-confidence. We hope that the provided information was helpful to you.
