Risks of ignoring missing teeth
If the empty space left by your missing tooth is not filled, the surrounding teeth can shift and become misaligned. Misaligned teeth increase your risk of tooth decay, gum disease, occlusion problems and additional tooth loss.
Missing teeth can also cause jawbone degeneration, another serious health issue. The jawbone in the areas where teeth are missing begins to deteriorate without the tooth roots present. This can cause facial sagging, tooth movement and further tooth loss if left untreated. Replacing the root with a dental implant is the only way to prevent the jawbone degeneration and grow back the bone tissue.
Gum recession—the loss of gum tissue along the gumline—can also occur if you have missing teeth. This is due to there being no structure for the jawbone or gumline to support, putting neighbouring teeth at risk of a similar fate—unfortunately this is often what happens if you don’t replace missing teeth.
Due to this, many people may notice a decline in their overall oral health, all because they don’t know how to replace missing teeth effectively.
Cosmetic dentistry vs traditional methods
Modern technology means there are a range of options for missing teeth replacement. However, some offer more permanent solutions than others, so it is best to do your research before you decide which is best for you.
Cosmetic dentistry
All these cosmetic dentistry techniques are easy to care for—just brush and floss as you would your natural teeth. They also do not affect speech or eating your favourite foods. These options for missing teeth also prevent the bone degeneration associated with tooth gaps in your smile.
All-on-4
All-on-4 dental implants are a revolutionary solution to missing teeth, offering a complete replacement of teeth and gums using only four, high-tech titanium dental implants to create a more functional smile.
These implants are permanently adhered to your jaw by one of our experienced dentists to achieve a secure foundation for your new smile.
Porcelain veneers
Advanced Dental Artistry’s porcelain veneers are the innovative, stain-resistant answer to chipped, cracked or discoloured teeth.
Missing teeth can put your remaining teeth at a much higher risk of damage and disease, meaning if you have lost teeth that require implants, some of your natural teeth may need some attention too—this is where porcelain veneers come in.
Porcelain veneers are not only designed to give your smile a more uniform look, but they can also strengthen and restore function to your natural teeth while they are bonded to them.
Full mouth reconstruction
This solution is ideal for people that have existing teeth that are damaged, discoloured, decaying and missing but don’t require a total teeth replacement. Full mouth reconstruction is a highly tailored process that uses a unique combination of dental implants and porcelain veneers to craft a beautifully restored smile.
The process of our non-invasive cleaning, bite assessments and advanced restorative practices will allow you to chew and smile again with ease.
Traditional methods
These well-known, traditional options for missing teeth are likely the first thing that comes to mind when you think about how to replace missing teeth—but are they the best option for you?
Dentures
Dentures or partial dentures are prosthetic devices used to replace multiple missing teeth, designed to fit against the gums. They tend to be reasonably well priced and so are often used in the recovery period between getting terminal teeth removed and getting dental implants.
However, some people stick with them despite their downfalls, which include the fact that they don’t look as seamless as dental implants. They’re also known to slip around in the mouth while speaking or eating, and they can’t be worn overnight. They must be cared for properly and regularly cleaned—otherwise there’s an increased risk of gum disease if food is trapped by the dentures.
Bridges
A dental bridge is a fixed dental restoration solution to a missing tooth—they are fixed in place by being joined definitively to neighbouring teeth. This solution does not require surgery and the period of healing is not very long.
Since they are secured to adjacent teeth, they are more secure than dentures as they don’t have the potential to slip around. However, bridges can require alteration to healthy teeth—during their placement, a small amount of your natural tooth enamel from the neighbouring teeth must be removed to allow the bridge to fit properly, potentially putting these healthy teeth at risk in the future.
This solution also doesn’t address the bone loss associated with missing teeth and aren’t as long lasting as dental implants.
How innovative cosmetic dentistry at Advanced Dental Artistry can benefit you
If you’re concerned about what happens if you don’t replace missing teeth, visiting our cosmetic dentist Perth clinic in the heart of the city is the perfect solution to achieve a beautiful, natural-looking smile.
At Advanced Dental Artistry, we’re dedicated to staying at the forefront of dental implant technology and digital smile design to ensure we provide the utmost quality and longevity in every smile we craft.
The porcelain we use is handcrafted on site to ensure each piece is perfectly unique to every patient. Plus, our advanced digital tools allow us to accurately map and analyse your face in order to meet your aesthetic preferences, and improve your oral health.
Our dedication to continuing to learn and evolve means we are leaders in our field. The advanced materials we use, our highly skilled team of dentists and our innovative smile design technology mean we strive to make every smile one which meets our client’s expectations.
Ready to restore your oral functionality?
Our passionate team of cosmetic dentists is dedicated to giving all of our patients a beautiful, restored smile. If you’re ready to hear how our advanced cosmetic dentistry can help you, reach out today and find out which of our services is right for you.