3 minute read

Your teeth serve a key purpose in your oral health and overall health. You’d be surprised how often we take for granted the important role that teeth play in our everyday lives.

Nowadays, Australians are keeping their natural teeth for longer throughout their lifetime, thanks to advancements in modern dentistry and good oral hygiene practices at home. However, tooth decay, gum disease and dental trauma remain the key causes of tooth loss and tooth removal each year.

We’ve compiled six reasons you should consider replacing missing teeth and several teeth replacement solutions that may be suitable for your needs. If you’re thinking about replacing missing or damaged teeth, book a consultation with our dentist to see if dental implants are right for you.

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1. Missing teeth affect your smile

If you miss one or more teeth, you may lose your willingness to smile openly or often. When this occurs, you lose some of the many benefits of smiling, including:

• Improved mood (1)
• Improved social interaction with others (2)
• Lower blood pressure (3)
• Enhanced immune system (3)
• Reduced stress (4)

2. Missing teeth cause surrounding teeth to shift

When a tooth is missing, the teeth adjacent and opposite the gap can start to shift into the space (known as over-eruption). This can causes issues with surrounding teeth such as:

• An uneven bite
• More difficulty brushing and flossing
• Increased susceptibility to tooth decay and gum disease
• Poor aesthetics
• Greater risk of grinding and tooth wear

3. Missing teeth cause bone loss

Tooth roots stimulate the jaw bone through activities like chewing and biting. When a tooth is removed, the lack of stimulation causes the jaw bone to shrink away and lose structure.

Roughly 25% of the jaw bone can be lost within the first year after having a tooth removed. As the jaw bone continues to shrink, adjacent teeth are at greater risk of developing gum disease, bone loss, and subsequently tooth loss. Aesthetic concerns may also arise when teeth are lost in the front of the mouth.

Nowadays, it’s possible to remove and replace a damaged tooth in the same day with immediate implants. Immediate implants can fast-track the healing process and help prevent jaw bone loss while restoring your smile.

Immediate implants

4. Missing teeth cause a prematurely-aged appearance

Your teeth and the surrounding jawbone help support facial muscles, structure and lips. Without this support, the jaw bone resorbs, cheeks hollow out and the nose and chin begin to dip inwards, causing a sagging appearance. This occurs even with wearing dentures because dentures do not prevent jaw bone loss.

Dental implants are unlike any other teeth replacement solution because they mimic natural tooth roots and help keep the jaw bone healthy.

5. Missing teeth cause chewing problems

Healthy teeth and gums provide the ability to effectively chew a variety of foods to maintain a nutritious diet. Even one missing tooth can change how you chew food to a point where nutrition and overall health is affected.

A related consequence of missing teeth is the change in chewing patterns. Missing teeth on one side of the mouth can cause excessive chewing on the opposite side. This wears down teeth unnecessarily and can lead to jaw joint pain and associated symptoms including headaches, hearing loss, jaw popping, clicking or stiffness.

6. Missing teeth cause speech problems

Notice how many times your tongue contacts your teeth when you say one sentence, and you quickly realize the essential role teeth play in speech (5). Speech relies on the proper positioning of the tongue, lips and teeth, so when teeth are missing, excess air can pass between them causing a whistling sound or lisp.

If you’ve experienced one or more of the problems related to missing teeth, contact the team at Perth Dental Implant Centre to see how we can help.

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Solutions to Replace Missing Teeth

Depending on your circumstance, you have several options to replace one, several, or all your teeth. Each treatment option has advantages and disadvantages to be considered before choosing the right solution for your needs. These solutions include:

1. Single Tooth Implant and Crown

A titanium post precisely placed in the jawbone replaces the root of the missing tooth. This implant prevents bone loss, allows for regular chewing forces, and feels like a natural tooth. Single tooth implants also permit normal brushing and flossing without any special dental devices such as floss threaders.

A porcelain crown attaches to the implant via a connecting abutment. It results in a natural-looking tooth as it becomes practically indistinguishable from the real thing.

As dental implants require surgery, not everyone is suitable for treatment. This when you may be recommended a dental bridge or partial denture instead.

The cost of a single dental implant starts from $3,950

2. Dental Bridge

A dental bridge is a fixed and non-surgical option for replacing one or more teeth in a row. Healthy teeth on either side of the gap are reinforced and strengthened using crowns to anchor the bridge in place. Receiving crowns involves some of the tooth enamel being removed before they are able to support a dental bridge.

Dental bridges prevent teeth from shifting and allow for normal chewing and speaking.

3. Fixed Implant Bridge

This solution is similar to a dental bridge only a fixed implant bridge is supported by several implants rather than existing healthy teeth. Fixed implant bridges can replace several teeth or a full arch (also known as All-On-4® full mouth implants) and offer many benefits, including superior stability, bone loss prevention, and a natural look and feel.

Treatment requires enough healthy jaw bone into which dental implants can be placed. When there’s not enough jaw bone to support dental implants, a bone grafting procedure may be recommended to build up the jaw bone.

While most healthy adults are suitable candidates for implants, they are some conditions that can complicate treatment such as advanced gum disease, some medical conditions, smoking and excess alcohol. It’s recommended that patients quit smoking before surgery to give implants the best chance of success.

The cost of a 3-unit fixed implant bridge starts from $7,500

Implant prices

4. Dentures

Complete or partial dentures can replace all or several teeth reasonably quickly. Popular for their low cost, they do not require surgery and are easy to keep clean. They also require fewer appointments than other teeth replacement solutions.

There are several disadvantages to wearing dentures with the main one being they do not prevent jaw bone loss. Other challenges include dentures falling out of place, limiting the ability to taste food, affecting chewing force and nutrition, rubbing on gums, being susceptible to damage, and needing to be left out overnight.

5. Implant-Retained Dentures

An implant-retained denture can feel and function more like real teeth, without the stress of coming loose.

An implant-retained denture (an overdenture) is a full removable denture that is stabilised on two or more dental implants. Instead of relying on suction to stay in place, the denture clips on and off abutments that connect to dental implants.

Implant-retained dentures can be a good upgrade for existing denture-wearers looking for a secure solution.

The cost of a full upper denture and lower implant-retained denture on two implants starts from $10,000. An Upper implant-retained denture on four implants starts from $20,000.

6. All-On-4 Dental Implants

All-On-4® dental implants look and function just like natural teeth and are cared for in the same way.

All-On-4 refers to an advanced surgical technique that allows a full set of teeth to be immediately loaded on to four dental implants. Nobel Biocare dental implants are placed in a unique way that maximises jawbone support and avoids the need for a bone graft.

An All-On-4® fixed implant bridge retains up to 90% of chewing efficiency compared to 60% for implant-retained bridges and 10% to 30% for removable lower and upper dentures, respectively.

The cost of All-On-4® dental implants starts from $21,000* per arch or $40,000 for both.

 

Sedation Options for Anxious Patients

Perth Dental Implant Centre offers several sedation options for replacing missing teeth. While implant surgery is usually carried out following a local anaesthetic in the chair, we’re able to offer oral sedation, sleep dentistry (known as IV sedation) and also treatment under a general anaesthesia in day surgery.

If you’ve been putting off restoring your smile because of dental fear, there are a number of sedation options and coping strategies to help you through treatment.

Anxious patients

Read our quick 3-minute blog on Coping with Dental Anxiety.

To learn more about how you can replace missing teeth and restore your smile, call 1300 108 133 or send us an enquiry.

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 References

1.  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pr0.2002.91.3f.1079
2. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/soej.12485
3. http://www.newhealthguide.org/How-to-Boost-Your-Immune-System.html
4. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248433.php
5. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/joor.12355
6. Van der Bilt, A. (2002) Human oral function: A review. Brazilian Journal of Oral Sciences, 1, 7-18.