Here in the United States, less than half of all adults have all of their natural permanent teeth. Once you reach the age range of 40 to 64, that number drops to under one-third. Nearly one in five adults over the age of 65 are edentulous or missing all of their natural teeth. The most common reason for this is tooth decay and dental carries.
Losing even one tooth can make you feel self-conscious and affect your jaw, facial structure, eating, and even speaking clearly. Thankfully, there are several tooth replacement options to fit your personal need. The main teeth replacment options are:
- Dental implants
- Same-day dental crowns and bridges
- Implant-supported dentures
- Partial dentures
- Complete dentures
- Do nothing
Let’s take a look at the different options, their advantages and disadvantages, in order to provide you the most information prior to your consultation with the dentist.
1. Dental Implant
Dr. Pickett is an active member of the Texas Dental Association staying current on the latest methods of dealing with the health and appearance of missing teeth using dental implants. We will ensure that you receive the best dental care for your missing teeth. At Pickett Family Dental, we have multiple dental implant options to guarantee that you walk out of our office with:
- Healthier, secure gums and jawbones that can support immediate use of your newly replaced teeth
- Reliable new dental implants that won’t move out of place
- A complete, natural-looking smile that feels and functions just like new healthy teeth
2. Same-Day Dental Crowns and Bridges
At Pickett Family Dental, we offer same-day dental crowns using advanced CEREC digital dentistry technology that scans your tooth to create 3-D models and replacement crowns and bridges all in a single visit. Find out how you can save time by coming to see Dr. Pickett in Keller, TX for natural-looking crowns.
Your new dental crowns will completely cover your tooth and will:
- Attach and bond to perfectly to dental implants
- Hold broken teeth together
- Hold fixed dental bridges in place
- Replace tooth structure lost to decay
- Protect teeth after a root canal procedure
3. Implant-Supported Dentures
Implant-supported dentures are one of the best options for replacing teeth. While we typically recommend the all-on-4 dental implants where available, implant supported dentures provide many benefits associated with implants while reducing the cost closer to that of dentures.
Dentures are usually the most affordable way to replace missing teeth, especially when most, if not all of the patients teeth are missing. However, there are a lot of disadvantages of traditional dentures.
4. Partial Dentures
Partial Dentures are dentures that replace some of your teeth. When you need partial dentures for the front teeth, our team at Pickett Family Dental can provide new false teeth or “partial dentures” that either clip around the existing teeth or via suction as long as it covers the palate.
5. Complete Dentures
Full dentures, also known as traditional dentures are completely removable teeth replacements for all of your upper, lower, or both sets of teeth. These dentures can feel less comfortable than their implant counterparts, and will need to be removed daily for cleaning. You might also experience some difficulty in speaking due to the strange feel.
6. Do Nothing
Dr. Pickett never recommends doing nothing as a course of action in regards to a missing tooth that needs replacement. There’s nearly always a better option for the immediate or within a short period of time that can prevent further deterioration and damage.
