What are My Main Options for Replacing Missing Teeth?

Missing teeth are the worst enemy of one’s smile and facial aesthetics. More importantly, missing teeth also create difficulty in eating and speech, directly affecting one’s dental health and physical well-being. Unfortunately, the incidence of missing teeth is growing rapidly among Britishers. According to the Oral Health Foundation, over 74% of Britishers have had at least one tooth removed. 

Dental experts recommend replacing missing teeth without delay to restore one’s smile, self-confidence, and oral health. If you have also lost one or more teeth, you might be wondering about the options available to replace them. But don’t worry; you have come to the right place. This blog provides a comprehensive overview of the options for replacing missing natural teeth so you can make an informed decision about your teeth replacement. 

Why Is It Important To Replace Missing Teeth?

There are several reasons why missing teeth should be replaced without delay. 

• Smiles and Facial Aesthetics – missing teeth affect one’s smile and personality. When a tooth is lost, the bone tissue around it starts to degrade, resulting in unwanted changes in one’s facial appearance.
• Chewing and Digestion – each tooth plays a role in ensuring optimal chewing and digestion. So, the loss of a single tooth can significantly impair the chewing efficiency of the remaining teeth. This can lead to systemic complications like malnutrition, decreased immunity, and indigestion. 
• Speech Efficiency – like eating, each tooth plays a role in helping us speak. If one or more teeth are lost, it can impair one’s ability to pronounce words and speak clearly. 

What Are The Common Options For Replacing Missing Teeth?

A few decades ago, the only option for dentists to replace missing teeth was removable dentures. However, multiple tooth replacement options are available today, such as dental bridges and dental implants. We will discuss each option in detail in the following sections. 

What Are Dental Implants And What Are Their Advantages?

According to the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, an implant is a cylindrical metallic fixture inserted into the jawbone to serve as an artificial tooth root. Dental implants promote bone formation around them. Over time, they become firmly anchored within the jawbone and offer a solid foundation for any prosthesis attached to them for tooth replacement. Dental implants can be used for replacing a single tooth or all teeth in the jaw. 

Dental implants have become the most preferred tooth replacement option worldwide owing to their numerous advantages over the other tooth replacement options:

• Aesthetics – dental implants are by far the most aesthetically pleasing among all tooth replacement options. In fact, implant-supported teeth become virtually indistinguishable from the surrounding teeth. 
• Durability – titanium-based dental implants are extremely durable. According to Healthline, dental implants can last a lifetime if they are looked after properly. 
• No Dietary Restrictions – with dental implants, you can eat all your favourite foods without restriction. 
• Bone Conservation – a significant drawback of removable dentures is that they exert pressure on the underlying bone, leading to its resorption. This makes the bones thinner and fracture-prone and makes one look older due to facial structural changes. 

This issue is not present in dental implants. In fact, dental implants promote bone formation around them and conserve healthy bone tissue. 

What Are Dentures And What Are Their Advantages?

A denture is a removable appliance used to replace missing natural teeth . A partial denture is needed when someone requires multiple teeth to be removed. These dentures gain retention with the help of metallic clasps and the underlying soft tissue. On the other hand, a complete denture is used to replace all the missing teeth in a jaw. A complete denture derives its retention entirely from the oral soft tissues beneath it. 

The advantages of removable dentures are:

• Low Cost – removable dentures are not very expensive compared to dental implants and bridges
• Repairability – removable dentures can be repaired in some cases if they are broken

What Are Bridges And What Are Their Advantages?

According to the NHS, a bridge is a fixed appliance used for replacing one or more missing teeth. Unlike dentures, bridges are bonded to the supporting healthy teeth on both sides and remain fixed. 

Some advantages of dental bridges are:

• Superior Chewing Efficiency – dental bridges offer superior chewing and speech efficiency than dentures as they are fixed appliances
• Superior Aesthetics – dental bridges have superior aesthetics than the staining-prone removable dentures

How Much Does It Cost To Replace A Missing Tooth?

The cost of tooth replacement mainly depends on the type of prosthesis used. For example, a complete denture may cost you around £500 – £600, while a three-unit bridge may cost around £250 – £800 per unit. On the other, replacing a single missing tooth with implants may cost around £1500 – £2500 in the UK. 

Besides, the cost of tooth replacement also depends on the dentist’s skill, qualification, and experience and their practice’s location. 

Replacing Missing Teeth Near Me

When considering tooth replacement, one must always visit an experienced and qualified dentist. After all, the quality of your teeth replacement will directly affect your smile and dental health. If you live in Leatherhead, the best practice to visit for getting your missing teeth replaced is Horsely Dental. We offer the best-rated dental services in town in a comfortable environment. We will also ensure that your tooth replacement provides the best aesthetic outcome and optimisation of your oral and physical health. So, what are you waiting for? request a free consutlation with us today and let us take care of the rest.