The pain of loosing a tooth or teeth is only made worse by the subsequent difficulties you may experience with eating, drinking and talking. If you have lost a number of teeth you may take on an older appearance as your cheeks begin to sag into the spaces left behind. The best way to deal with this is to get dentures fitted to replace the missing teeth. Ask your Gloucester dentist about dentures today as the problem is best dealt with sooner.
There are many reasons for tooth loss. You might have suffered an accident in a physical sport, had gum disease which ended with tooth loss or let your oral health regime slip to the point that a tooth fell out. Dentures can come as a complete set to replace all your teeth but partial dentures are available to replace a few which are missing. It is just as important to replace a few missing teeth as it is the whole set because your remaining teeth might begin to slip into the gaps.
Dentures come in removable and non-removable varieties. If you want your dentures to be permanent you might opt for dental implants or fixed bridges. Dentures are usually made from acrylic resins and are more comfortable and realistic looking than ever before. If you want greater flexibility in your dentures, the Valplast cosmetic variety are made from a more malleable material which offers more comfort.
If you are worried about your dentures slipping and making meal times and conversations more difficult, you could think about having mini-implants which allow your dentures to be fixed permanently to your mouth. They are relatively expensive but incredibly durable and practical. Otherwise dentures can be held by your gums’ natural section or by applying a fixing agent. Your dentures will need to be altered in the long term as your mouth changes but with the right care dentures can last many years.
There are many reasons why people need dental extractions. This could be due either to suffering pain from a wisdom tooth or dental decay, the gums may be in bad condition causing the teeth to be loose and sore or simply because there is not enough room for the teeth and they are suffering from overcrowding issues. Whatever the reason, an extraction may be an option but of course, this is quite a serious procedure so your Bath dentist may explore other options before resorting to extractions.
In the case of overcrowding this could be using a brace or other straightening device to align the teeth naturally. In terms of infected teeth, a root canal procedure can save the tooth from extraction if successfully carried out in time, but in some cases, there is just no alternative. Obviously, dentists don’t like to remove natural teeth but in the event they need to, you need to make sure you follow all their instructions for your own safety. This involves keeping teeth clean and healthy in the days and weeks prior to surgery, making sure you avoid smoking and drinking alcohol before and after surgery, and following any other specific advice your dentist may have.
Following the extraction it may be quite painful and you are also at an increased risk of infection. This can result in further health complications so you need to be aware and contact your dentist immediately if you feel anything unusual. If you have had to have an extraction for reasons of dental health such as decay or infection, it is possible to have the tooth replaced with an artificial substitute such as a dental bridge or a dental implant. Ask your dentist about the restorative dental treatments following an extraction.
Losing a tooth can be a very traumatic experience both emotionally and physically. The most obvious concern is of course the pain. Whether the tooth is lost due to a physical accident such as a car crash or sporting injury or if it is just lost to decay or disease, either way there is going to be a significant amount of pain involved. The only difference being if the pain is chronic or acute. Once the initial pain has subsided however, you are then faced with the prospect of having a tooth missing from your dental arc. This is very noticeable and will often spoil the appearance of a smile. This can be emotionally very upsetting at any age but particularly for younger patients, having a missing tooth can have a very large stigma attached.
However, there are a number of ways of replacing missing teeth to restore the functionality of the teeth and also their cosmetic appearance. One such way is called a dental bridge. This involves creating an artificial tooth bridge to fill the gap created by the missing tooth. This is achieved usually by attaching two dental crowns to the teeth adjacent to the vacant tooth and using these to support an artificial tooth, which fills the gap. This artificial tooth, called a pontic from the Latin for bridge, will create the appearance of a full set of teeth and can also be used to eat and chew.
If the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth are in a sufficiently good condition it is possible to bond the pontic using resin strips only, as this saves the need for enamel removal needed to attach crowns. A dental bridge from a Bath dentist could be the perfect way to restore the appearance of your teeth as well as rebuilding your confidence in your smile. If you have suffered the embarrassment of a knocked out tooth, ask about dental bridges at your next appointment.
Dr Gerrard is a Bristol based Cosmetic dentist with many years of experience and is one of only a small number of dentists accredited by The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
