When you have missing teeth, this can impact the stability of your jaw and lead to major complications in your daily life. Which is why we want to help with prosthodontic dentistry, in which we replace missing teeth. In today’s blog, your Londonderry, NH, dentist talks about restoring your smile with a custom dental prosthetic, so you can enjoy a better quality of life!
The Dangers of Tooth Loss
When you lose teeth, even a single tooth, this could cause major problems for your overall oral health and your quality of life. You see, when you have a gap in your smile this could cause surrounding teeth to drift from position, causing misalignment and a greater risk of complications like tooth decay and gum disease. Missing teeth could also strain your jaw joints to cause issues like TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). You could also feel embarrassed about your appearance, and may have issues eating a variety of foods or even speaking clearly. The body will also suspend the flow of calcium and phosphates to the jaw, and without these nutrients, the jaw breaks down, losing mass and density. This not only means further tooth loss, but an older appearance too! But we can help with prosthodontic dentistry.
Dental Bridges
Minor tooth loss, such as one to three missing teeth in a row, can be addressed with a dental bridge. The prosthetic contains new ceramic teeth with crowns attached to each end, custom-made based on detailed images we take of your smile. The crown portions will be placed onto the abutment teeth, the natural ones on each side of the gap in your smile. Once in place, this supports your new teeth firmly for years to come. We use ceramic to create the prosthetic, as this is a durable material that can handle daily bite forces and pressures, and also be shaded to blend with your smile and offer a lifelike appearance.
Dentures
What if you have tooth loss too severe to be treated with a bridge? In these situations, we may instead create a set of dentures. We have full and partial options, both designed based on detailed digital images and measurements we take of your smile. The partial addresses cases in which you have multiple gaps in your smile, too many to be addressed with a bridge, but you still have enough natural teeth in place that a full denture isn’t necessary. This will contain new teeth set in an acrylic base that looks like gum tissue, metal clasps will attach the natural teeth to secure your denture.
A full replacement addresses every tooth on one or both arches, and includes a complete row of new ceramic teeth set in a base. Which this option, suction or an adhesive will keep them in place. On average, removable dentures tend to last about 5 to 10 years, and we will provide instruction on how to soak and clean them.
Dental Implants
For tooth replacement that will look and function like natural teeth, our team will offer dental implants. These are inserted into the jawbone and act as new roots, which stimulates the growth of jawbone structure and allows you to ensure roots that preserve your smile and last for decades. We then complete them with a custom dental crown or a prosthetic. We can use several to support bridges and even fixed dentures that never slip and last far longer than traditional removable dentures.
Maxillofacial Prosthetics
Our team can also create prosthetics that take the loss of facial and oral bone structures into account, even soft tissue loss too. These complications could occur in childhood naturally, or the result of an injury or serious illness, such as cancer or a neurological disorder. When you lose teeth and the supporting structures. This can impact how you eat, speak, and swallow. Our team will take detailed digital images and measurements of your smile and face, which we use to design and craft maxillofacial prosthetics that not only fill the gaps where missing teeth are, but provide better function and esthetic benefits. The appliance will fit comfortably and we will provide instructions for care and maintenance, and along the way we work with specialists like oral surgeons, oncologists, plastic surgeons, and ENTs.
If you have any questions about how we help your smile with prosthodontic care, then contact our team today to learn more.
Schedule a Visit for Prosthodontic Dentistry
A full smile is possible, so reach out today to learn more about treating tooth loss. To schedule an appointment for a preventive visit with My Dentist in Londonderry, NH call (603)965-3407.
