Missing Teeth: An Overview
If you are missing one or more teeth, Columbia Family Dentist offers a variety of solutions to help get you back to smiling. As a top-rated dentist in Columbia, Maryland, we are proud to treat dental concerns for patients of all ages in Columbia, Ellicott City, Laurel, Fulton, and Clarksville, as well as the surrounding areas in Maryland.
Missing teeth are not only a cosmetic issue. They also greatly affect the function of your mouth, gums, and jaw. If you are missing a tooth, this puts a strain on all of your other teeth as they have to make up for the missing tooth when you are chewing or speaking.
Additionally, missing teeth negatively impact your bite pattern and put extra pressure on your jawbone. This causes tension headaches. Don’t procrastinate in reaching out to Columbia Family Dentist if you are looking for a treatment plan for missing teeth.
Missing Teeth Treatment In Columbia, MD
There are several reasons a patient may be missing a tooth. Depending on the condition of your smile, our team can present you with a variety of treatment options to restore your smile back to its best condition. Restorative solutions may include:
- Dental Implants – Dental implants are prosthetic replacements for natural teeth that provide patients with a durable solution to tooth replacement. These natural-looking and feeling tooth replacements blend in with your smile and come with a variety of benefits and advantages.
- Dental Bridges – Dental bridges bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth. This procedure allows your Columbia dentist to use two teeth on either side of the gap to anchor a false tooth between them.
- Dental Crowns – Dental crowns allow you to keep the foundational structure of your existing tooth if it remains. We shave the tooth down and replace it with a prosthetic cap that looks, feels, and functions like your natural teeth.
- Dentures & Partials – If you need to replace a full arch of teeth, our office can assist you in this process. A comfortable, customized set of dentures and partials can be made to help you restore your smile.
Missing Teeth FAQs
What happens if you don’t replace missing teeth?
If you do not replace missing teeth, you are at a higher risk to have many future health issues. Patients’ teeth are much more likely to shift if there is a gap left from a missing tooth. Patients are also more likely to develop gum disease due to exposed gum.
Can I get a dental implant years after extraction?
Patients can get dental implants regardless of how long it’s been since extraction. Some patients wait up to ten years before getting implants after extraction. It is in your best interest to get them shortly after to avoid teeth shifting, but patients have the option to wait as long as they’d like.
Does losing back teeth change your face?
The loss of back teeth may change the shape of a patient’s face. This is due to facial bones shifting due to the missing tooth. In most cases, if a patient’s face changes, it is due to their jaw bone shrinking, pushing the jaw forward.
Schedule a Dental Exam Today
If you are interested in learning more about our tooth replacement services, schedule an appointment with our doctors today. We will go over all of your options and alternatives with you to discover which method of tooth replacement will best meet your needs.