Replacing Missing Teeth in northampton, easthampton, westhampton, and more.
Your teeth affect your whole body. When they’re healthy, you’re healthier too. A missing tooth can affect your bite, speech and eating choices.
What Happens When You Lose a Tooth?
Shifting of Nearby Teeth
- Adjacent teeth may begin to drift toward the gap.
- Leads to misalignment and bite issues.
- Can make cleaning harder, increasing the risk of decay and gum disease.
Bone Loss in the Jaw
- The jawbone needs stimulation from tooth roots to stay healthy.
- Once a tooth is gone, the bone in that area begins to shrink (resorb). A patient can lose up to 25% of the jawbone in just one year of missing a tooth.
- This can alter your facial structure over time and make future dental treatments more complex.
Difficulty Chewing
- Missing teeth reduce your ability to chew properly.
- May lead to digestive problems from poorly chewed food.
- You might start avoiding healthy, crunchy foods like fruits and vegetables.
Speech Changes
- Gaps can affect how you pronounce certain words or sounds.
Aging Appearance
- Bone loss and tooth gaps can create a sunken look in the face.
Increased Stress on Remaining Teeth
- The remaining teeth have to work harder to compensate.
- Can lead to excessive wear, fractures, or damage.
Decreased Self-Confidence
- Many people feel self-conscious about missing teeth.
- It can affect your willingness to smile, speak, or socialize.
Are You Ready to Receive Quality Dental Care!
Northampton Implant and Family Dentistry offers a number of dental treatments that can keep your mouth healthy and your smile beautiful. Contact us today!
Tooth Replacement Options
You can select from a number of different options to replace your missing teeth – from temporary to long-lasting solutions.
Fixed Bridge
A fixed bridge is a connected set of replacement teeth. For support, it is cemented into position on top of the teeth adjacent to the empty space. The protective outer layer of these teeth is usually removed or ground down prior to attaching the bridge.
Bridges are a good option for patients who are missing a few teeth next to each other. You will need to have healthy adjacent teeth for the bridge to be secured to.
Bridges are also a good solution for patients who do not qualify for dental implants.
Flipper
A fragile, temporary and inexpensive solution is a removable plastic tooth with a plastic retainer, often called a “flipper”.
We may suggest a flipper if you’re waiting for your final implant crown placement.
Metal Partial
A less fragile option is a removable partial denture cast in metal and plastic. It is held in place by wire clips. A removable partial denture can be removed and reinserted when required by the patient.
This is a great solution for people who are missing several teeth in a row, but you must have healthy surrounding teeth for the partial denture to clip on to.
Complete Denture
The most common solution, for people missing all teeth in one or both jaws are complete dentures. Some people adapt well to dentures. Others find them uncomfortable, even intolerable, because of differences in jaw size and shape.
We used advanced technology and imaging to make sure that your denture fits well when you receive it. We also do relines, rebasing, and repairs if your denture get’s broken or begins to fit poorly.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are the most comfortable and permanent solution. They form a strong foundation for teeth and keep the jaw healthy and strong. Implants support individual replacement teeth or secure specialized dentures in place.
Unlike bridges, no healthy teeth are damaged. Unlike most bridges, implants can last a lifetime. Implant-supported replacement teeth can be attractive, stable, and comfortable for almost any patient.
You will need to have enough jawbone and good enough oral health to qualify for an implant.
Why Select Dental Implants Over More Traditional Types Of Restorations?
There are several reasons: A dental bridge can sacrifice the structure of surrounding good teeth to bridge the space of the missing tooth/teeth. In addition, removing a denture or a “partial” at night may be inconvenient, not to mention dentures that slip can be uncomfortable and rather embarrassing.
Dental Implants look and feel more natural and they last longer than removeable dentures or other tooth replacement options.
Choose Northampton Implant and Family Dentistry for your Tooth Replacement Today!
We offer flexible financing and 0% interest rates for a year on procedures over $1,000! Dr. Kim is an expert in dental implants and tooth replacement care, and we look forward to serving you and your family soon.