Missing Teeth, whether it is one or two, or a mouthfull, can be embarrassing, but worse still - this problem can affect the function o the jaws and your digestion. This is why it is so important to have missing teeth replaced.

There are three ways to replace missing teeth -

• Dentures
• Bridges
• Dental Implants
  

Dentures
Dentures can be used to replace a few, or all teeth. When replacing a few teeth, we use partial dentures made of either plastic (acrylic) or a metal (Chrome of Gold) base with acrylic teeth and gums

Full dentures replace all the teeth in one or both jaws, and are made of acrylic. For more information, see Full Dentures.

Bridges
When a single tooth is missing, and in some instances, where two adjacent teeth are missing, a bridge is sometimes the restoration of choice. This applies particularly if the teeth on either side of the space are heavily broken down, heavily worn, or otherwise in need of crowns.

Bridges involves placing crowns on these teeth adjacent to the space, and suspend the replacement tooth (also a crown) between them – bridging the gap. To provide the strength required for this suspended section, we often need to reinforce the bridge with a cast metal framework. This metal casting will be embedded within the porcelain, so that there is no metal showing, leaving a result which will be cosmetically excellent.

Dental Implants
When a tooth (or teeth) is missing, a dental implant is usually the best alternative for its replacement. This involves placing a metal (titanium) root in the bone to replace the missing natural root. The bone firmly attaches to the implant by a process called “osseointegration”.

A Crown is then attached to the implant by a screw, and sometimes using special dental glue. The end result will be an artificial tooth which will look, feel and function just like a natural tooth. It can also be brushed and flossed like a natural tooth, unlike a bridge. This makes a dental implant the tooth replacement of choice, whenever it is practical.

When a single tooth or just a few teeth are missing, Dental Implants are generally the best way to replace these teeth. At Integrated Dentistry, we have extensive experience in the use of Dental Implants to replace missing teeth, and we are proud of the excellent results we achieve. For more information, see Dental Implants.

For the replacement of your Missing Teeth, come to see us at Integrated Dentistry in Bondi Junction / Woollahra