If you are missing one or several teeth, don’t worry – you are not alone.
There are many reasons that someone may lose a tooth – from a sporting injury or accident, to severe decay and failed root canal treatment. As a centre of excellence for Cosmetic Dentistry in Leicester, we have helped transform the smiles of hundreds of patients over the last 15 years in a sensitive, professional and affordable way.
It is for this reaosn that we understand how important your smile is to you; and the real difference that this can make to the way you look and feel. We therefore believe in taking the time to get to know you, your concerns about your smile, and your budget requirements – so that we can help find the right treatment option for you.
To restore a missing tooth, your dentist will discuss your treatment options with you – which primarily include a Dental Implant or a Bridge.
A dental implant provides permanent, life-like and cost-effective solution (if you are suitable for treatment) to a replacing your missing tooth at root and crown level. At Hallcross Dental Practice our dental implant system provides a safe and reliable method for replacing teeth, whether you have lost one, several or all of them. Your new teeth look and feel natural, and allow you to live, laugh and enjoy life with total confidence.
A bridge consists of several replacement teeth that will literally bridge the gap of your missing tooth.
Advantages of a bridge are as follows:
- Restore your smile and your ability to properly chew and speak
- Distribute the forces in your bite properly by replacing missing teeth
- Prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position
- With good mainetance, it can last up to 10 years
Disadvantages of a bridge are as follows (which is why your dentist may well be recommend that you consider a dental implant as an alternative):
- Visible metal rims
Certain types of bridges, made of metal and covered with porcelain, can lead to visible black metal lines at the rim of the bridge when your gums keep receding. An all-ceramic bridge can provide an alternative in such cases.
With metal bridges the rim can sometimes become visible - Grinding down neighbouring teeth
Bridges are anchored to adjacent teeth to keep them in place. This means, however, that these healthy neighbouring teeth must first be reduced in size.
Bridges require a grinding down of neighboring healthy teeth - Effects on jaw bone and gum
When you lose teeth, it disturbs the interplay between teeth and bone. Gum and bone are no longer stimulated well enough due to missing teeth, so your jaw bone starts shrinking and your gum pulls back.
Bridges can affect neighboring teeth and jaw bone
If you have a missing tooth and are not sure whether a dental implant or a bridge would be best for you, please call us on patientcare@hallcrossdental.co.uk or email us at hello@hallcrossdental.co.uk to arrange a Free Dental Implants Consultation at your convenience.
During this appointment, we will be able to answer any questions or queries you may have, as well as to fully discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each treatment with you, in order to help you find the right option for you.
For more information about Dental Implant treatment at Hallcross Dental Practice, your cosmetic dentist in Leicester, please click here >>
In categories: Cosmetic Dentistry | Dental Implants