Missing one or more teeth can make anyone feel uncomfortable about smiling, eating, or speaking in public. Over time, people begin to feel isolated and lose self-confidence. This can lead to avoiding social situations which can impact your quality of life.
Dental implants are a life changing solution to replace missing teeth. Whether you have a single missing tooth or an entire set, dental implants restore your appearance, speech, nutrition, oral and general health, and self-esteem. The goal is to smile big, eat what you want, and be confident.
Why replace missing teeth?
The more teeth that are missing, the more negative impact this can have on your health. Having gaps due to missing teeth will cause shifting and changing in the bite. Over time, this will affect the ability to chew properly and can alter diet and nutrition.
When a tooth is lost, the bone beneath shrinks away. When this happens, the skin around the mouth does not have the support it needs, and it will start sagging, giving a premature aging appearance.
There are several options to replace missing teeth. However, dental implants are the only solution that will prevent the bone from melting away.
Are there options other than implants to replace missing teeth?
Yes, there are several options.
A removable option such as dentures, partial dentures, and flippers can be adequate for short term cosmetic solutions. However, the denture is not fully secured and can cause speech problems, discomfort, gag reflex, and difficulty chewing and eating. With a removable denture, the jawbone will continue to shrink.
A dental bridge is a fixed solution that is secured in the mouth, but it does present some problems. In order to place a dental bridge, at least two teeth around the space will be filed down and capped. Over time, those supporting teeth may be weakened and are more susceptible to decay. It is also more difficult to maintain home care hygiene with a dental bridge than single teeth.
Replacing a single tooth with an implant has advantages over other options. The dental implant is anchored in the bone, giving you a tooth that feels and looks natural. You can floss around the implant tooth, so it is easier to maintain over time. Dental implants are the only solution that will prevent the bone from shrinking away.
Implant Treatment options at Family Implant and Cosmetic Dentistry (FICDentistry):
According to epidemiological studies, it is estimated that 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth and about 40 million Americans are missing all of their teeth. As we age, the problem gets worse, as 30 percent of adults between 65-74 years old have no natural teeth. The main causes of tooth loss are dental decay and periodontal (gum) disease.
Single and Multiple Teeth replacement:
Implants are considered the gold standard for replacing missing teeth. Advantages of dental implant teeth are they cannot decay and will never need root canal treatment. In order to have a dental implant, your dentist will not need to remove healthy tooth structure on adjacent teeth.
The implanted tooth has three parts:
Implant – a synthetic tooth root, commonly referred to as a screw that is placed in the jawbone and beneath your gums
Abutment – the part that connects the implant and the crown
Crown- the part that you visibly see when you smile
The process does require minor surgery. However, implant placement is far less traumatic than removing a tooth. Once an implant is placed, it requires 3-6 months of healing time before the permanent tooth can be placed on the implant. No worries, you do not have to go without a tooth. There are options for temporary teeth that are placed during your healing time.
Replacing all teeth:
Gold option- Fixed implant-supported denture
If you are losing your teeth or all of your upper or lower teeth are missing, there is a solution. Depending on the location, quality and quantity of available bone in each unique case, several implants are placed. Typically, 4-6 implants on the upper and 4-6 implants on the lower arch. A new set of teeth will firmly attach to these implants and will not have to be removed by patients. These teeth will look natural, and more importantly, are very secure in your mouth, giving you the ability to chew normally and to smile with confidence.
Things to note about fixed implant supported dentures:
Patients report 90-95% of normal, healthy function
Sedation options are available for a more relaxing surgical visit
Patients will never go without teeth throughout the whole process
Teeth are stable and can not be removed by the patient
For the removable implant option, typically at least 4 implants are placed on the upper jaw and 2 implants are on the lower jaw. The denture can now snap on and off the implants and can be removed by patients for cleaning.
Patients report 70% of normal, healthy function with removable implant supported teeth
Sedation options are available for a more relaxing surgical visit
Patients will never go without teeth throughout the whole process
A lower cost treatment compared to the gold option
Existing dentures can often be used to snap onto the implants
No need to cover the palate to stabilize the denture.
Bronze option- Full upper and lower dentures.
The bronze option is the traditional upper and lower dentures. They are removable and are not secured by dental implants. Patients typically tolerate an upper denture better than a lower denture, so at FICDentistry, we highly recommend at least two dental implants for the lower jaw.
Patients report 5-10% of normal, healthy function with conventional dentures
Patients will never go without teeth throughout the whole process
Everyone is very welcoming and friendly. Everyone is very aware and considerate to the patient's needs, doctor and assistant alike. Had a very pleasant experience in comparison to other dental offices in my past.
My dental hygienist was the best I have ever experienced. She was gentle, professional, and able to answer all the questions I had. She was also quick! I loved my experience.
Professional, courteous and just good at what they do. I actually don’t mind seeing this group of dentists, from Receptionist to the most senior Doctor, all top-shelf!
I had 4 wisdom teeth removed with anesthesia and am currently 12 hours post op as I type this. I was a bit worried going with this practice because I’ve had some minor disappointing experiences at the related general dentistry practice… More in Tampa, but today I still decided to give his brother’s surgical practice a chance and I’m so glad I did!Every staff member I met today was extremely kind, informative, and were clearly very adept at what they do. They thoroughly checked my health before the procedure (did fresh imaging, made me pee in a cup, analyze fresh blood samples, and monitored my vitals the entire time), they also made me feel really comfortable by offering a high-quality thick blanket and some conversation to ease my nerves. I overall felt extremely well taken care of. They sent me home with a ton of useful things and I generally have not felt pain above a 2/10 and am still pretty comfortable thanks to all of the stuff provided.Honestly, the $2,800 I spent on it felt like a bit much till I had the procedure. I now think it is 10000% worth it. Kudos to all the staff and management employees that made the practice so good!
