Single Tooth Replacement: What are my options?
A patient with a missing tooth has alternatives when it comes to replacing it. A fixed permanent bridge, dental implants, or even an orthodontic intervention to close the gap are all possibilities. For years, fixed permanent bridges were the standard tooth replacement solution. These devices place a prosthetic tooth in the gap left behind, and that prosthetic tooth is anchored by dental crowns placed on adjacent teeth. This approach does require that healthy tooth enamel be sacrificed to accommodate the crown, and only the visible portion of the tooth is replaced. Dental implants improved upon the fixed permanent bridge. The titanium screws fuse with the bone to replicate a missing tooth’s root. Then the implant is topped with a lifelike artificial crown. There is no impact on adjoining teeth, and dental implants look almost identical to their biological neighbors. After the planning process is complete, an oral surgeon can place…