Are you missing a tooth? Or, maybe you have several missing teeth. Either way, missing one or more teeth is a large dental problem. First there is the social embarrassment associated with missing teeth. Plus, missing teeth hamper proper eating, drinking, and speaking. Also, there are dramatic changes that take place one teeth are lost. For example, the bone that once supported the teeth will disappear. Teeth will start to drift into the missing space. For you best dental health you will want to replace the tooth as quickly as possible. As the leading Pasadena, Texas Dentist I get lots of consults with new patients. They ask “What is the best option for tooth replacement?” In the past the answer was a bridge. However, with modern dentistry the answer is without a doubt a dental implant.
What is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is a prosthesis that consists of two crowns and a false tooth. The minimal benefits of a bridge include somewhat less initial expense and perhaps fewer dental appointments. Many patients are pleased with the initial outcome. However, in order for a dental bridge to be placed the adjacent must be ground down aggressively in order to hold the bridge. This irreversibly damages the once healthy teeth. Now the teeth are fused together. The anchor teeth are more susceptible to decay, need for root canals, plaque accumulation, and periodontal disease. All of these problems can cause the bridge to fail. Furthermore, the fake tooth on top of the bridge sits above the gum. It does not replace the root. Soon the gum tissue and bone will disappear underneath the fake tooth leading to an ugly black void that traps food. Although a dental bridge is marginally less expensive, its lifespan is only about 10 to 15 years. Then a much larger treatment will have to be performed to replace the failed bridge.
What is a Dental Implant?
Dental implants are now the very best way to replace missing teeth. This is because a dental implant replaces the entire missing tooth. The dental implant is a titanium cylinder that is placed into the bone. There the bone fuses and integrates with the titanium essentially locking the implant into place.
This will serve as the new tooth root. Next, impressions are taking in order to fabricate the crown to fully restore the missing tooth..
Dental implants are designed to mimic natural teeth and are designed to last a lifetime. An overlooked benefit of dental implants is that dental implants are the ONLY tooth replacement option that stimulate and preserve bone levels. With dental implants the the adjacent teeth are not damaged. Dental implants look, function and feel just like natural teeth.
The bottom line is that you should replace your missing teeth and research to find out what’s best for you. When Dr. Nugent’s Parents, in-laws, friends, employees and an employee’s child needed a new tooth they all got a dental implants.
About:
Dr. Michael Nugent is located at 3421 Burke Rd #1, Pasadena, Texas 77504. He is a leader in dental implant technology. Dr. Nugent has a 3-D conebeam to accurately diagnose and digitally verify proper implant anatomy on the computer screen. This results in a less invasive implant surgery and is gentler on the patient.
