Replacing multiple teeth with dental implants
Dental implants are the ideal solution for those who have lost multiple teeth due to trauma, or because of periodontal disease or decay.
Missing teeth become a greater problem as we grow older.
As we age, a greater effort is required to maintain our health and our appearance. While we may force ourselves to a strict regimen of diet and exercise, we often neglect our teeth and face dental problems as we grow older. Teeth are prone to deterioration after many years of use. They can get worn down, chipped or cracked, and eventually lost. Tooth loss is sometimes due to physical injury, but is more often due to prolonged periodontal or gum disease.
Even people with good dental hygiene over the years face dental problems as they grow older. Many of the modern drugs we take as adults lead to dry mouth or other symptoms that impact our ability to fight cavities. Even with good dental care, many older people face the loss of multiple teeth as they age. Having many missing teeth is not only a problem for how you look and feel, but can also be detrimental your health. Replacing these teeth is very important.
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Replacing three teeth with implant-supported fixed bridge. No healthy teeth are compromised. (Illustration: Nobel Biocare)
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Replacing two teeth with a traditional tooth-supported fixed bridge. Two healthy teeth must be compromised for the stability of the bridge. (Illustration: Nobel Biocare)
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Dental implants are the preferred solution for replacing several missing teeth.
Just as with one missing tooth, several missing teeth can be easily treated with dental implants. Implant supported teeth are permanently fixed in the mouth, unlike removable appliances like dentures. They don’t slip or click, and there is no worry about them moving or falling out when speaking, eating, or participating in activities. And because dental implants are placed directly into the bone, they help preserve the jawbone and prevent bone deterioration. Dental implants look, feel, and function like natural teeth, and can last a lifetime.
Better than bridges
In the past, traditional tooth supported bridges have been a primary method for replacing several missing teeth. However, using a bridge has several drawbacks:
The bridge must be supported by adjacent healthy teeth, which must be ground down and capped. These capped teeth then are used to support the bridge across the space where the teeth are missing. The capped teeth are weakened in the process, and often fail over time, creating more dental problems.
The bridge does not address the problem of bone loss. The bone in the area where the teeth are missing will continue to deteriorate, and eventually cause other problems.
Some spans of missing teeth are too large to be treated with a bridge.
Most bridges last from 5-7 years before needing to be replaced.
Dental implants are placed directly into the bone where the teeth are missing, and do not involve the adjacent healthy teeth. Dental implants also prevent or reduce the further loss of bone, and can last a lifetime.
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Replacing six teeth with a traditional, removable partial denture. (Illustration: Nobel Biocare)
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Better than dentures
Another traditional approach to treating multiple missing teeth has been to use partial dentures. These are appliances made of plastic and metal that clip to adjacent healthy teeth in order to fill the gaps created by missing teeth.
Partial dentures are much more cosmetic than they are functional, and they still often lead to embarrassment. People who wear partial dentures say they are often reluctant to smile, laugh or even speak in public because they are afraid their denture may slip, or that the wires may show.
Partial dentures can greatly impact your ability to eat what you like, especially in public.
Most people do not like the feeling of metal and plastic in their mouths.
Just like bridges, dentures do nothing to prevent loss of bone in the jaw.
Most people tolerate dentures because they think they have no other viable options.
Dental implants are a better solution. They are fixed in place, do not move, and eliminate the need to worry about your teeth. They are the closest thing possible to natural teeth. People with dental implants say they look better, feel better, and have more confidence. And they can finally eat what they want, and participate in all the activities they desire. It’s not uncommon to hear the comment “I feel like I got my life back!”
And the procedure can be done in one day!
In the past, one of the drawbacks to dental implants has been that the procedure is complicated, involving several different dentists or specialists, and taking many months to complete. Many dentists still use this approach, but not ClearChoice!
At ClearChoice, qualified patients receive their implants and beautiful new teeth all in the same day. We can do this because we have all the specialists at one location, we use an on-site 3D CAT Scan for treatment planning, we have an on-site lab to manufacture and fit your new teeth, and we use the latest in Immediate Function clinical techniques and protocols. Learn more >>