One or more missing teeth can present more serious problems than just a missing tooth when you smile. Even one missing tooth when you smile is a big deal, especially if it is an anterior tooth. People notice your smile first and make many assumptions based on its health and esthetics. Therefore, when you’re missing one or more teeth you’ll want to replace them ASAP to avoid further dental health issues and regain your self-confidence.

Which Do You Need?

There are several ways to replace missing teeth including implants and implant dentures, but if you are missing only a few teeth in a row, or a few teeth scattered throughout your mouth, a partial denture or dental bridge may be the right treatment for you.

Partial Denture: Partial dentures are designed to replace more than one missing tooth not necessarily adjacent to one another but on the same dental arch. The partial can be fabricated in numerous configurations so the replacement teeth fit between any remaining healthy teeth. Partial dentures are removable, consist of a pink, acrylic bottom that is fitted to your gum and affixed with replacement teeth, and are attached to your healthy teeth via a metal framework and clasps.

Dental Bridge: A fixed dental bridge is designed to replace one, or two or more teeth in a row. A bridge consists of a crown on each end with the replacement teeth in between the crowns. The crowns are bonded over the healthy teeth adjacent to the space left by your missing teeth. These healthy teeth are reduced in size to accommodate the thickness of the dental crowns, which are permanently bonded to the adjacent teeth.

If you’re missing one or more teeth but are not fully edentulous, call Dr. Huffstutler to discuss which treatment would best suit your dental needs.