A missing tooth poses one of the most significant threats to your oral health. Left unchecked, it can lead to gum disease, bone loss, and even cause issues with your other teeth. 

Tooth loss has also been known to create difficulties with properly chewing the food you eat. As such, getting a replacement set up as soon as possible is imperative. 

Thankfully, there’s no shortage of alternate options for a missing tooth. A gap that’s visible when you smile may require a different solution than one that’s closer to the back of your mouth. Either way, the following remedies are all worth considering according to Sierra Dental, a dental clinic in Calgary that helps patients replace missing teeth on a regular basis.  

Get a Fixed Bridge

A fixed bridge is one of the most effective ways of replacing a singular missing tooth. With this substitute, the two teeth on either side of your gap will be used as anchors for the replacement of your missing tooth. 

Fixed bridges take the aesthetics of your mouth into account, as well. That’s why they’re generally made with porcelain that imitates the look of natural teeth. To create this replacement, your dentist will first take an impression of your surrounding teeth as a sort of blueprint. 

Once the bridge is all good to go, you’ll wear it on the two teeth surrounding your gap, thus creating the appearance of a third tooth. When you smile or speak, this replacement will look as natural as your original tooth.

Since fixed bridges are completely installed and cemented in your mouth, you don’t have to worry about them falling out. This means you’ll be able to eat, drink, and participate in high-impact activities with no worries.

You can expect your fixed dental bridge to be ready in weeks. After your dentist secures the impression of your teeth encompassing the gap, a laboratory will create the bridge that’s unique to your mouth and looks natural upon installation. 

Fixed bridges should be taken care of in the same way you’d look after your regular teeth. That means flossing and brushing them multiple times per day. With the proper care, this missing tooth replacement can last for ten or even 20 years. 

Look into a Dental Implant

A dental implant is another worthwhile choice for replacing a missing tooth. Unlike a fixed bridge, this alternative doesn’t rely on surrounding teeth to fill your gap. 

Should you prefer a dental implant, a very small screw made of titanium will first get surgically inserted in your jawbone where the gap is present. This creates the foundation via bone fusion and gum adjustment within three to five months. During this time, you’ll have an interim tooth crown put in place ahead of the final implant. 

Once an anchor for your implant has been created, the abutment gets installed to connect the tiny titanium screw and incoming tooth substitute. Following the abutment, your dentist will wait a given amount of time for your gum to heal and adjust to this new placement.

Finally, your porcelain implant is placed on top of the set abutment. This replacement will look as natural as the rest of your teeth. As an added bonus, due to all the steps involved in its setup, you don’t have to worry about this implant falling out of your mouth or becoming loose over time. 

Dental implants likewise prevent your remaining teeth from shifting to fill the gap from your missing tooth. Their effectiveness can even ward off gum disease. Nevertheless, you should still take care of your implant in the same way you’d look after your regular teeth. This means flossing and brushing them every day, along with using mouthwash. 

Unlike other missing tooth substitutes, this one takes care of not just the crown of your tooth, but also its root. 

Get a Partial Denture 

If you opt for a partial denture, you’ll first need to adjust to the way wearing its base feels in your mouth. However, onlookers won’t be able to tell the difference, as your base will be pink and naturally blend in with your remaining teeth and gums.

Unlike dental implants, a partial denture can and should be removed at night for cleaning purposes. Typically, soaking your denture with water and a cleansing tablet is great for getting rid of stains and avoiding plaque. You should still take care of your remaining teeth by brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash, but you won’t be able to care for partial dentures in the same manner. 

Should you decide a partial denture is a good fit, you’ll first require an appointment with your dentist for impressions of your teeth to be made. From here, a lab creates your partial denture, leaving your dentist to make any necessary tweaks to the final product.  

When taken good care of, partial dentures often last north of five years. If you start to feel discomfort after some time of this missing tooth replacement, you may need to visit your dentist to get your denture adjusted or switched out. 

Life After a Missing Tooth

Losing a tooth can not only lead to oral health problems, but it can also make you feel self-conscious, ashamed, or camera-shy. This is most common when a missing tooth is at the very front of your mouth or easily visible. 

Thankfully, alternatives like a fixed bridge, dental implant, or partial denture offer diverse and long-term solutions to those who need them. These options for replacing a tooth are also unique and tailored to individual preferences.

Someone who wants a permanent substitute for their tooth could be more inclined to go the route of a dental implant. Dental implants may also work well for a person who’s leery of tooth replacement that requires some of their remaining teeth to be used as anchors. 

On the other hand, if you don’t mind a more temporary substitute, perhaps a partial denture is the better fit. Whichever replacement you decide is best, you deserve to know your options.