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• Anatomy Of Teeth
• Correcting A Bad Bite
• Grafting Bone & Boft Tissue
• Cosmetic Procedures
• What's Your Dental Age?
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• Diet & Overall Health
• Treatments to Replace Missing Teeth
• About Your Dental Examination
• Treatments to Repair Teeth
• Treatment Of Gum Problems
• Reasons For Tooth Loss

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Patient Library

Treatments to Replace Missing Teeth

When teeth are lost, it is essential to replace them to prevent the shifting of the teeth and to restore normal chewing function. There are a three ways to replace missing teeth in the mouth. The three choices are cemented fixed bridges, removable partial dentures and implant anchored restorations. Removable partial and dentures supported by either your natural teeth or implants can be removed daily by the patient for cleaning and routine maintenance. Fixed partial dentures (fixed bridges) and implant retained fixed bridges and crowns are NOT removable and are permanently cemented in your mouth.

Cemented Fixed Bridges
Cemented fixed bridges replace missing teeth by attaching to the remaining adjacent teeth. There are two types, conventional bridges in which the adjacent teeth are shaped and crowned, and Maryland bridges in which minimal preparation is performed on the adjacent teeth. Maryland bridges are usually limited to short term use due to their tendency to become dislodged (come loose). Fixed bridges have a long history in dentistry and can function for many years but require extensive preparation of the anchor teeth.

Like simple crowns, cemented bridges can be fabricated using either gold or porcelain depending on the location in the mouth and the requirements for beauty.

Removable Partial Dentures
There are two types of removable appliances--partial dentures and full dentures (plates). Removable partials usually anchor to some of the remaining teeth using metal arms or precision attachments (anchors imbedded in the existing teeth). The remainder of the partial rests on the gum tissue in the areas where teeth are missing. Full dentures can rest either totally on the remaining gum tissue or sometimes over the roots of retained teeth or implants (dentures using this type of support are generally called overdentures). Most dentures and partials need to be refitted or remade every 2-3 years.

Treatments to Replace Missing Teeth
When teeth are lost, it is essential to replace them to prevent the shifting of the teeth and to restore normal chewing function. There are a three ways to replace missing teeth in the mouth. The three choices are cemented fixed bridges, removable partial dentures and implant anchored restorations. Removable partial and dentures supported by either your natural teeth or implants can be removed daily by the patient for cleaning and routine maintenance. Fixed partial dentures (fixed bridges) and implant retained fixed bridges and crowns are NOT removable and are permanently cemented in your mouth.

Implant Anchored Restorations
An implant is the man made replacement for the root of a tooth. We can use these man made "roots" to replace a single tooth, to anchor fixed cemented bridges or removable partials. They are versatile, predictable and provide patients with missing teeth the ultimate in comfort and beauty. Implant therapy has become the treatment of choice for most missing teeth.

Implants are the only way to replace the support that the original tooth provided in your mouth. All other dental therapies borrow support from the remaining teeth or gums. Implants have made it possible for almost every patient to achieve optimum dental health and function.