Front Tooth Replacement: What are Your Options?

Front Tooth Replacement: What are Your Options?

Molars are good for chewing and grinding food, while front teeth are good for cutting them down into small portions. However, this is not the only thing those front teeth is good for. Whenever we flash a full smile, we always show our teeth, and the teeth that get the most exposure are the ones in the front. Indeed, front teeth can make or break one’s smile, hence can really affect our self-esteem and how people perceive us. Now for those who have lost their front teeth, don’t worry, it is not the end of the world. There are many treatments that you can undergo to replace your front teeth; and here are some of them:

 

Implant and crown

A process wherein a screw-like implant is surgically lodged into the patient’s jaw bone and the replacement tooth known as the crown is fixed onto it. There are however a few cases where the original tooth is still partially present and still usable, in those cases an impression is carved on the tooth and a full coverage crown is then made. Many dentists recommend this procedure since it has the strongest bond among all available procedures. It is also permanent and seamless.

 

 

 

 

Removable partial dentures

For those who may not be able to afford implants and crowns, there is another option. Most traditional and popular among all options, artificial teeth are attached to a gum-colored base which is designed to take the shape of a patient’s gum and/or upper and lower mouth. As the name implies, these dentures can be removed at the patient’s will and your dentist will normally advise you to always remove them before you go to bed at night time. They can last for years with proper care.

 

 

 

Bridge

Applicable to those who are missing one or more teeth. Bridges involve almost the same process as the crown, however, the main criteria of doing a bridge are that the patient must have neighbouring teeth to support the bridge. The bridge also uses the stability of neighbouring strong teeth to stay in place, which means if the supporting teeth play up, it may result from the bridge to fail at the same time. It is a strong and seamless option, but it is considered as an invasive procedure especially if the neighbouring teeth are healthy teeth with no restoration works carried out on them.

 

 

 

 

 

Maryland Bridge

Also known as the resin-bonded bridge or the adhesive bridge. Just like in ordinary bridge, the Maryland bridge uses the support of neighbouring teeth to stay in place. This process, however, is not invasive and does not require surgical implants nor heavy polishing on the neighbouring teeth. Instead, it involves bonding the crown to its lodged neighbours by fusing them through a bridge via a semi-liquid adhesive. Once the adhesive dries up and hardens, all teeth involved are cemented in place.