Tooth Replacement Options in Gilbert, AZ
At Riggs Family Dental, we have several options for replacing missing teeth. If you have a tooth that was knocked out in an accident or removed due to decay, we can perform a procedure to replace it so you can regain the full functionality and appearance of your smile.
Dr. Carlos Lopez and the Riggs Family Dental team offers several types of options, depending on the extent of your tooth loss:
- Fixed Bridges: Can be supported by adjacent healthy teeth or dental implants. They use two functional crowns, with a false crown suspended between them to fill in the open space.
- All-on-4 and Implant Supported Dentures: Teeth-in-a-day treatments allow you to replace all of your teeth at one time, using a denture that is permanently retained by as few as four dental implants. Implants can also be used to stabilize removable dentures.
- Removable Dentures: Full and partial dentures offer an economical solution for replacing missing teeth. Each one is customized to the unique needs of your smile.
How Can I Tell Which Missing Tooth Replacement Options Are Right for Me?
In our Gilbert dental office, we understand the importance of choice. We know that when we see 10 people with tooth loss, each will have a slightly different goal and lifestyle. Factors like the types of food you like to eat, whether you play sports, and whether you are outgoing and gregarious or prefer to keep to yourself can help determine which tooth replacement option is right for you. This is why when you come in for a consultation, we will take time to ask questions and get to know you. Asking about your hobbies and whether or not you work out may seem out of place for a dentist, but everything works together.
For example, if your hobbies involve singing in the choir, dentures may not be a good solution for you because they could pop out of place. Simultaneously, if you like to run marathons, you will need a tooth-replacement solution that will not become loose under aggressive impact.
After asking you questions and conducting a physical examination, we will recommend the option we believe will work best for your lifestyle. If you are a good candidate for all of them, we will let you know that as well, so you can ask more specific questions regarding the procedures and costs involved.
Out of All of the Missing Tooth Replacement Options, Which One is the Most Durable?
At Riggs Family Dental, we can give you a well-made and durable replacement tooth, regardless of which option you select. However, if you are looking for a replacement option that looks, feels, and behaves like a natural tooth, a dental implant is the most effective. When completing this procedure, we implant a titanium post underneath the gums and secure it to the jawbone. This serves as a replacement root system. Over the course of one to several months, the titanium and bone will fuse together to create a new root system that is as strong as the original. The process of osseointegration enables us to provide you with a sturdy, durable tooth replacement you can count on.
In our dental office, we will then attach a new tooth that has been specifically created to blend in with your surrounding teeth. An implant is the next best thing to a natural tooth. It is important to note that this is a surgical procedure, and to qualify, your jawbone must have sufficient density. As such, not everyone qualifies for the procedure. There are, however, other durable replacement solutions, such as a dental bridge.
A bridge is created by securing a dental crown to the two teeth surrounding the missing one. These dental crowns serve as anchors to hold a gum-colored bridge in place, to which a new tooth is secured. This is the most durable, non-surgical solution you can get to replace a missing tooth, because it is firmly attached. Many of our patients prefer this as an alternative to dentures, as it is less invasive than implants.
During a consultation, we can explain the benefits of both options so you can determine which solution will work best for you. Additionally, if you have any restrictions, such as your remaining teeth not being healthy enough to support a bridge, we will let you know and suggest a different solution.
In some cases, dentures are an ideal way to replace missing teeth. While not as durable or sturdy as an implant or bridge, they do have their place. Dentures are an ideal immediate solution while waiting for another cosmetic procedure. Also, if you have suffered from resorption and do not have any strong, remaining teeth, they may be necessary. In this situation, modern dentistry has made it possible to wear dentures that look natural and are less likely to shift out of place.
Will My Missing Tooth Replacement Options Be Influenced by My Age?
At Riggs Family Dental, our goal is to provide you with a tooth replacement solution that is beautiful, natural-looking, and will work for your lifestyle. Age, while a factor in healthcare, has less to do with your ideal tooth replacement solution than your lifestyle does.
For example, you could be a senior and not want to wear dentures, even though they are common. Regardless of your age, if you lead an active lifestyle, dental implants could be the best solution, as they are the most durable option and allow you to maintain all your activities. One thing to be aware of, and this does not have to be age-related, is that when you lose a tooth, the process of resorption starts.
This is when the body starts to leach calcium from your jawbone and distribute it to the rest of the body. The longer you wait to visit our Gilbert dental office and have the tooth replaced, the less bone density you will have. When you then go to replace the tooth, your options could be more limited. This makes losing a tooth an urgent matter.