Dr. Joseph Costa recommends multiple dental implants for patients with rows or arches or missing teeth in Worcester, MA. Multiple missing teeth can have a big impact on your quality of life. Many patients with multiple missing teeth avoid smiling, have difficulty chewing food, and develop additional oral health problems. Gaps along the arches can lead to jawbone loss, gum disease, and shifting teeth.
Multiple Missing Teeth Options in Worcester, MA
Patients with more than one missing tooth have several options. They can replace the teeth with a removable partial denture, a fixed dental bridge, and an implant-supported bridge. The implant-supported bridge is the best solution for your quality of life and health.
- A removable partial denture comprises a base with replacement teeth fused to it. The base has metal clasps that attach the remaining teeth to hold the prosthesis in place. These natural, remaining teeth will endure a lot of extra pressure and wear and tear. This can often result in tooth decay or tooth loss. Additionally, since no more root structure exists, nothing will prevent the jaw bone from deteriorating. Any type of removable prosthesis will simply be unstable. On the other hand, this is a fairly inexpensive solution that can fill in the gaps caused by missing teeth.
- A fixed dental bridge replaces one to four consecutive missing teeth. A bridge is made up of two dental crowns that are located on each end of the prosthesis, and the fake teeth are located in the middle. They are fused together to create a single piece. Then, crowns are cemented to the two teeth that are adjacent to the gap. The abutment teeth, or the anchor teeth, will need to be reduced significantly to create room for the crowns. You are essentially damaging two healthy teeth and putting a lot of extra strain on them. However, this option is more stable than the partial denture and still fairly affordable.
Multiple Dental Implants: The Best Solution for Missing Teeth
A dental bridge that is supported by at least two dental implants is the most natural and stable option. No healthy teeth will need to be harmed to accommodate it. In addition to that, the implant fixtures that are inserted in the jaw will help prevent bone. The dental bridge will be very durable and stable. Very little, if any at all, foods will need to be eliminated from your diet. Despite the advantages, this is the most expensive solution, and it will take several months longer to complete this treatment.
Can you put multiple teeth on one dental implant?
The best part about implant fixtures is they are very strong. So strong, in fact, a single post can support the load of multiple teeth. This becomes an important fact when our patients need multiple teeth replaced. If you had to pay for a single implant-supported crown that is placed at the site of many missing teeth, the cost would be hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Dr. Costa will analyze the current state of your oral health and devise a strategy that includes how many implants are needed to support the dental prosthesis you need. For example, a dental bridge that is being used to replace four teeth will only need two implant fixtures to support it. Maximizing the number of teeth an implant can support will drastically cut the cost of your treatment.