Missing Teeth & Dental Implants
Your teeth affect your whole body. When they're healthy, you're healthier too. A missing tooth can affect your bite, speech, and eating choices. As you rely more on your remaining teeth, you increase the chance they will wear out prematurely or be damaged or lost. You may also experience headaches and/or jaw pain.
Replacing Missing Teeth with Dental Implants
Missing teeth can affect more than your smile. They can make it harder to chew, affect your bite, and allow the surrounding teeth and bone to change over time. Dental implants provide a strong, natural-looking foundation for replacing missing teeth and can be used in a variety of treatment options.
At Auburn Periodontics and Implant Dentistry, we offer several implant-based solutions depending on the number of teeth you are missing, your oral health, your bone structure, and your individual goals.
We also work closely with your general dentist to help ensure your implant treatment and final restoration work together for the best possible result.
Single Missing Tooth
When a single tooth is missing, a dental implant can be used to replace the missing tooth without requiring the neighboring teeth to be altered.
An implant is placed in the jawbone to serve as the replacement tooth root. Once the implant has healed and is ready for restoration, an abutment and dental crown are placed to complete the replacement.
This option provides a stable, functional tooth that looks and feels much more like a natural tooth.
Multiple Missing Teeth
When several teeth are missing, there are several ways dental implants can be used to restore your smile and function.
Depending on the location and number of missing teeth, your treatment may include multiple individual dental implants with crowns or an implant-supported bridge.
Your periodontist will evaluate your teeth, gums, bone, bite, and overall oral health to determine which option may be appropriate for you.
Missing All Teeth in the Upper and Lower Arch
If you are missing all of the teeth in your upper arch, lower arch, or both, dental implants can provide a more secure alternative to traditional removable dentures.
Full-arch implant treatment can help improve stability, chewing ability, and confidence while providing a more natural-feeling solution.
Depending on your individual needs and candidacy, options may include implant-supported overdentures or a fixed hybrid denture.
Implant-Supported Overdentures
An implant-supported overdenture is a removable denture that attaches to dental implants for added stability.
Implants are strategically placed in the jaw, and the denture is designed to securely attach to those implants. Unlike a traditional denture that may move or slip, an implant-supported overdenture is held in place by the implants.
One of the advantages of an overdenture is that it can be removed by the patient for easy cleaning and daily care.
This option can provide improved stability and confidence while still allowing the patient to remove the denture when needed.
Fixed Hybrid Denture
For patients who are good candidates, a fixed hybrid denture may be our most recommended full-arch treatment option.
A hybrid denture is an implant-supported full-arch restoration that is fixed in place and is not removed by the patient. Because it is securely attached to dental implants, it can provide a feeling that is much more similar to having a fixed set of teeth than a traditional removable denture.
For many patients, this can offer significant improvements in:
- Stability
- Chewing function
- Confidence
- Comfort
- Overall quality of life
How Is a Fixed Hybrid Denture Maintained?
Although the patient does not remove the hybrid denture at home, regular professional maintenance is important.
Patients return to our office for routine examinations and cleanings. Periodically, the doctor can remove the fixed restoration in the office to thoroughly clean around the implants and evaluate the implants and surrounding tissues.
Proper home care and regular professional maintenance are essential for keeping the implants and restoration healthy for years to come.
Your Treatment Is Designed Around You
There is no single implant solution that is right for every patient. Your treatment options depend on factors such as the number and location of missing teeth, available bone, gum health, bite, existing restorations, and your overall oral health and goals.
At Auburn Periodontics and Implant Dentistry, we will evaluate your individual needs and discuss the options available to you.
We also collaborate closely with your general dentist to coordinate the restorative portion of your treatment and help provide a seamless experience from implant placement through your final restoration.
Ready to Explore Your Options?
If you are missing one tooth, several teeth, or all of your teeth, dental implants may provide a solution that can restore both function and confidence.
Schedule a consultation with Auburn Periodontics and Implant Dentistry to learn which implant treatment may be right for you.