Lost Tooth? What Are The Treatment Options?

Implant, bridge or denture?

We would all like our teeth to look great and without any fillings well into our old age.

With a good oral health regimen and regular visits to have your teeth checked by our local Derby implant dentist, the chances of this are increased significantly.

However, the reality is that most of us will have some dental decay during our lifetime, and, whilst this very often starts out as a minor issue, it often becomes more significant, particularly if not treated quickly.

Once a tooth has a filling, it can never be quite as strong as a healthy natural tooth, however good the dentist is. There is always a small risk that decay can return causing the tooth to weaken progressively.

First steps

When a tooth becomes weakened to the degree that a filling isn’t practical any more; a dental crown is often the next option. However, crowns do rely on a reasonable portion of an existing tooth remaining so that it can be attached efficiently and give the tooth a reasonable level of strength.

Where this isn’t the case, and perhaps on borderline cases too, it may be worth considering having the tooth extracted and replaced with one of the artificial alternatives available at the Darren Bywater Dental Implant Centre.

Dentures, bridges and implants

To replace a missing tooth, we can look at three main options.

The most common of these would be to have a denture fitted. The pros and cons of dentures are well known and most people acknowledge their limitations and inconveniences.

A bridge can offer a more effective solution. It does, however, depend on the two adjacent teeth being present and suitable to support the bridge. Even when they are, these otherwise healthy teeth have to be shaped, so that the bridge can be fitted. Where possible, we prefer to avoid removing any healthy tooth material.

It is generally accepted that dental implants are currently the best solution to replace a missing tooth, both in terms of strength and longevity. Not only do they look and feel almost entirely natural, but, with a reasonable level of care and attention, they will provide long service, often in the region of twenty years or more.

To find out more about dental implants and our other tooth replacement options, or to arrange a consultation, please call the Darren Bywater Dental Implant Centre of Derby on 01332 550933.

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