Kids aren’t the only ones dreaming of special gifts this time of year. Unfortunately many adults put their own needs on the backburner while trying to fulfill their children or grandchildren’s Christmas wishes. Just remember, it’s important to care for yourself, so you can truly give your best to your family. If you’re currently struggling with an incomplete smile, your prosthetic dentist can give you the one thing you really want and need, a beautiful and more functional smile!
Is a Prosthetic Necessary?
Adults don’t always realize how drastically tooth loss can affect their smiles and their lives. Depending on where the lost tooth loss is located, it can become difficult to speak and chew comfortably, often leading to problems getting proper nutrition. But over time even a single lost tooth can also cause more drastic problems, because the remaining teeth may start to shift out of place trying to fill the gap. If you want to avoid alignment problems, or struggles eating, prosthetic dentistry is needed to complete your smile.
What Options Are Available?
Many people think of dentures, when they think of prosthetics. But those are only one form of tooth replacement. You might prefer the added stability of a dental bridge or a dental implant to help you cope with your tooth loss.
Dental bridges are relatively simple to complete, as they rely on crowns affixed to teeth to anchor a replacement tooth. Dental implants, on the other hand, require far more extensive treatment, but they are the most permanent and stable option for completing a smile.
Which treatment will be best for you will depend on a number of factors, like your current oral health, how many teeth you have lost and where they are located, and how long you can commit to completing treatment. A consultation with your restorative dentist is the best way to determine which prosthetic option is ideal for completing your smile, as well as to help you understand what to expect.