Do you want such a perfect fit for your lost teeth that it’d make you forget you ever had tooth loss to begin with? Permanent replacement teeth are your answer!
Like other medical treatments, dental treatments too have seen tremendous developments in recent years, and the same applies to restorative dentistry too. One such development is permanent teeth replacement, a phenomenon that has truly revolutionised the dynamics of dental restoration all around the world.
In this blog, we’ll look at the different aspects of permanent teeth replacement, including the different treatments associated with it, its process, benefits, etc.
What Is Permanent Teeth Replacement, And Why Is It Needed?
As the name suggests, permanent teeth replacement refers to a dental restorative treatment that provides a ‘permanent’ (fixed) solution to missing teeth.
Now what makes people lose teeth, and is it common? The answer is yes! According to the American College Of Prosthodontists, 120 million Americans have at least 1 missing tooth. Moreover, according to the CDC, most Americans have lost approximately 12 teeth by the time they turn 50. The most common causes for tooth loss includes age-related dental decline, trauma, gum disease, genetic predisposition, medical conditions, etc.
Regardless of the cause, losing teeth is a pretty stressful experience that brings a host of physical, aesthetic and psychological challenges with it. The realisation of not being able to eat normally and facing the outside world with a gap in your mouth is chilling, to say the least.
Hence, all edentulous patients seek a replacement for their lost teeth that closely resemble their natural teeth both in form and function. This idea is brought to life by permanent teeth replacement treatments, where artificial teeth are ‘permanently’ attached to the edentulous patient’s jawbone, providing patients with a comfortable, reliable, safe and durable replacement to missing teeth.
These permanent artificial teeth have 2 core structural elements:
- Dental implants -– artificial tooth roots made up of biocompatible metals. They fill up the empty spaces left by missing tooth roots. As a ‘substitute’ for real tooth roots, they restore the stimulation needed by the jawbone to stay healthy and functional. Most importantly, they serve as firm attachment sites for prosthetic teeth to help them anchor to the jawbone in a stable fashion.
- Prosthesis – artificial crowns/bridges/dentures that are fixed to the dental implants present in the jawbone.
How Is Permanent Teeth Replacement Achieved?
To replace teeth permanently, a minimally invasive surgery is performed. The patient under treatment is numbed with anaesthesia, and their gums are incised to access the underlying jawbone. The jawbone is then carefully drilled to prepare it for implant placement. Once the implants are placed, they are left to heal and integrate with the jawbone (via a process called osseointegration) for several weeks.
A temporary prosthesis is attached to the implants so that the patient may not face any difficulty in eating or socialising during the healing period.
After the implants have healed and fully osseointegrated, the temporary prosthesis is replaced with a permanent one. This final prosthesis is your set of permanent teeth, and it closely matches your natural teeth in shape, size, colour, texture and all aesthetic and functional aspects. In other words, it’d feel exactly like real teeth (without the nerve endings and unnecessary sensitivity, of course!).
Permanent Teeth Replacement Options
There are several options for permanent teeth replacement, including:
- Implant Crowns – these are meant to replace a single tooth. These require one implant, over which the crown would be attached.
- Implant Bridges – these are meant to replace a consecutive section of missing teeth. Bridges can replace 3-8 teeth at once, and require at least 2 dental implants to be placed.
- Implant Dentures – these are for full arch teeth replacement, replacing the entire 16 teeth in a dental arch. 4-8 dental implants are needed to support an entire denture.
The specific treatment you opt for would depend on the number of missing teeth, the position (sequence) in which the missing teeth occur, the overall medical and dental health (especially jawbone health) of the patient, the aesthetic and functional preferences of the patient, etc.
Benefits Of Permanent Teeth Replacement
Permanent teeth replacement presents a modern take on traditional restorative treatments like traditional dentures and bridges, all of which are noninvasive treatments.
The traditional treatments have major flaws-they are unstable at best, keep slipping and shifting in the mouth, keep digging into the gums and causing recurrent gum infections, are prone to breaking easily, and much more.
These flaws are tactfully tackled by permanent teeth replacement treatments, which are the surgical alternatives to these traditional restorative methods.
It goes without saying that despite being invasive, these treatments are far more advantageous (both in terms of functionality and aesthetics) than their conventional counterparts, which is why permanent teeth replacement costs more than temporary replacement options.
Let’s briefly state all the major advantages of permanent replacement teeth:
- They give you the level of optimal functionality desired by every edentulous patient, allowing them to eat virtually whatever they want without the hazard of breaking or destabilising.
- They look as natural as real teeth, restoring dental aesthetics without coming off as extra, bulky or fake. This is due to the use of high quality materials like Zirconia, which have an aesthetic yet natural look.
- They are very durable and generally last for several years. In fact, they can even last a lifetime if they are properly taken care of.
- They are very easy to maintain and require just as much effort for maintenance as is required for the maintenance of natural teeth.
- They preserve the jawbone and the entire facial profile from the debilitating effects of tooth loss, protecting them from shrinking and maintaining a youthful appearance.
Conclusion
By harnessing the impeccable strength and durability of implant-supported prostheses (artificial teeth), permanent teeth replacement treatments provide a perfect long-term solution to tooth loss that beats all the downsides of traditional replacement options.
For more details about permanent teeth replacement via dental implants, schedule a FREE consultation with San Francisco Implant Clinic, a premium dental clinic based in San Francisco, California. Our team of expert implant surgeons will counsel you regarding the best treatment option for your unique dental needs, paving your way to a healthy and beautiful smile transformation!
