If you have missing teeth, the spaces in your smile make it difficult to eat, smile, or even pose for photos. Fortunately, there are a variety of options when it comes to replacing missing teeth while also preserving your healthy teeth on either side. Whether you need a single prosthetic tooth or a full arch restored, our Camas dentists can help you find a long-lasting, cost-effective way to save your smile. With numerous options to choose from, there’s something for every smile, lifestyle, and budget.
Dentures and Partial Dentures
Full and partial dentures are both affordable options for replacing all of your missing teeth. In most cases, these also are your cheapest options for tooth replacement. A removable partial replaces the missing teeth while leaving the remaining teeth intact. The prosthesis may use your surrounding teeth to help stabilize it throughout the day. But if you don’t have any nearby teeth and your entire arch needs to be restored, a full denture is the next step. These “plates” offer a full arch approach to replace missing teeth that people have relied on for years.
Almost everyone qualifies for dentures, whether they have single or multiple missing teeth. The economic design is an entry-level prosthesis that’s budget savvy and efficient. You can even choose to wear a temporary partial denture if you’re planning to get dental implants later on.
On that note, implant-supported dentures (“overdentures”) are another excellent treatment choice. These removable dentures “snap” or “clip” onto 2-4 dental implants to keep them in place throughout the day. You won’t need any adhesives or paste, because your denture is specifically designed to attach to the corresponding implant in your mouth.
Tooth Supported Bridge
The most traditional way to replace a missing tooth is to use healthy adjacent teeth on either side of your missing tooth to support a fixed bridge. These non-removable restorations are usually preferred over partial dentures, as they are fixed in place, and you do not take them out at night. However, fixed bridges do require healthy existing teeth on either side of the missing teeth to anchor them in place. They also require reshaping the natural tooth so that the bridge fits over it. But if the dental health of those teeth requires crowns, it serves a dual purpose in that it protects those teeth while also replacing the missing one.
Dental Implants
A dental implant is a hypoallergenic, biocompatible restoration that we install inside of the bone to replace the roots of natural teeth that are missing. However, there are numerous tooth replacement options among dental implants alone. Here are some of the most common:
Single Dental Implant and Crown
If you need a single tooth replacement, an individual dental implant with a crown is your most appropriate choice. These uniquely designed tooth replacement options mirror anatomical teeth. The implant serves as the root portion of your tooth replacement with a fixed crown on top of it to fill in the missing tooth.
Implant Supported Bridge
Instead of wearing removable partial dentures, an alternative is to use a pair of implants to anchor a multi-tooth prosthesis. This allows you to restore several missing teeth at one time without altering the structure of adjacent teeth. And implant-supported bridges are non-removable, so they tend to be one of the best tooth replacement options if you prefer to avoid a partial. An implant-supported bridge allows us to replace 3-4 teeth at a time with only two implants.
Full Arch Implants
When there are no more teeth in your jaw, or the natural teeth need to be extracted, you have an option of replacing all of them at once with as few as 4-6 dental implants. Designs like “All-on-4” or “All-on-6” restore all of the existing teeth in your upper or lower jaw, using strategically installed implants to support a full-arch, hybrid prosthesis. You could almost think of it as a full tooth-supported bridge, but anchored onto implants instead of natural teeth. Traditional All-on-4 implants are comfortable, support healthy bone, and allow you to enjoy all your favorite foods.
Implant Supported Dentures
An “overdenture” or “stabilized” denture is a snap-on prosthesis that is removable but still attaches to dental implants. These implant-supported dentures are a hybrid between traditional plates and full-arch All-on-4 implants. If you want better stability with the affordability of a conventional denture, then this type of modified implant placement offers a nice compromise.
Full Mouth Reconstruction
Let’s say for a moment that you have a few teeth missing in one area, a missing tooth on the other side, several natural teeth you can retain, and others that are worn, broken, or decayed. Where do you start?
Our full mouth restoration process approaches your smile as a whole while planning a tooth-by-tooth approach to repairing your bite. Perhaps you could use a dental bridge in one area, ceramic crowns overworn teeth, a few fillings, or even traditional dentures on the opposing arch.
Your full mouth reconstruction plan will include numerous restorative and tooth replacement options curated to your unique circumstances. As you discuss your priorities with our Camas dentists, we’ll map out a plan—sometimes with 2 or 3 options—for you to review. You might even want to bring the various treatment plans home to think about or talk over with your family. It’s nothing to rush into, and we’re always here to answer any questions you may have.
How Many Teeth are Missing?
The best tooth replacement is highly dependent upon how many missing teeth you have and how many healthy teeth you can retain. There’s no single right or wrong solution that fits everyone. Working with the experienced dentists at Radiance Dental will help you feel confident about your smile’s future and the long-term investment you’re making.
Whatever your smile has been through, we’re here to help. From repairing small areas causing aesthetic concerns, to complete oral rehabilitation, Radiance Dental offers you the quality, personalized care your smile deserves.
