Solutions for missing teeth can be varied, and our friendly team is well-equipped to review the ins and outs with you. Tooth reconstruction specialist Dr. William Roe stays on top of the latest technology to provide patients with comfortable, dependable teeth replacements.
Until the last decade the usual way to replace missing teeth was either with dental bridges or partial and full dentures.
A dental bridge is a false tooth supported by connecting crowns. It requires the cutting down of often healthy adjacent teeth so that they can be capped to provide support for the false tooth. If properly cared for, its life span is around 5 to 10 years. This is not the optimum way to replace a missing tooth. A denture has many drawbacks, not the least being discomfort and a 10% chewing power.
Most dentists agree that the modern solution for missing teeth is dental implants. An implant replaces the tooth root and is then capped with a natural-looking, sturdy porcelain crown. We offer the latest in teeth replacement options and in fact, we’ve been providing implants for 10 years and have done hundreds of them.
Dental implants can be used to replace a single tooth or multiple missing teeth. They can also be used to support dental bridges and dentures. An implant can be a more economical tooth replacement option that enhances these earlier solutions, making them stable and healthy.
There are certain conditions that used to prevent some patients from benefiting from dental implants. With today’s technology such things as diabetes, a smoking habit or low bone volume are no longer impediments to implant treatment.
Dr. Roe offers a Free Dental Implant Consultation to assess what would work best for your situation, review treatment options and answer any questions. He takes the time to get to know you and works out treatment plan options that take into account your budget and lifestyle.
Dr. Roe always recommends a dental implant for a single missing tooth as it doesn’t require the cutting down of healthy teeth like with a bridge. Additionally, an implant has a good track record of longevity and lifelike function. However, for some people a dental bridge can be a more affordable option, or, if they don’t like the idea of any surgery, a more congenial option.
Optimally, you would replace each missing tooth with a dental implant, but depending on how many teeth are missing, this can add up in cost. An alternative is to use a dental bridge that uses implants to support one or more of the porcelain “teeth.” A dental bridge supported by implants is a fixed (non-removable) restoration and acts and feels very much like natural teeth.
Patients have several choices when all their teeth are missing, or they need full-mouth extractions.
Using dental implants to replace every missing tooth is probably the most optimum solution as single-tooth implants are very lifelike and easy to keep clean. It is usually, however, the most costly option.
Implant-supported bridges can be used to replace all your teeth. The teeth are also very lifelike and act very similarly to natural teeth.
This is the most affordable implant option. Your dentures are supported by implants. Depending on the design, they can be snapped in and out for cleaning and night rinsing. Unlike a denture by itself, a denture supported by implants is stable, doesn’t require adhesives and gives you good chewing power. Implant-supported dentures can either be removable or fixed. We’ll go over the different kinds with you.
Dr. Roe doesn’t recommend dentures by themselves due to their instability and their unhealthiness. He does create dentures for his patients, and recommends that they stabilize their dentures with at least two implants per arch. He’ll discuss your options with you so that you can be fully informed about dentures.
The problem with dentures is it’s hard to keep them stable due to accelerated bone loss in the mouth, caused by the dentures wearing away the bony ridge that supports them. As a result, dentures are constantly becoming loose, making them slip when eating or speaking. This can be uncomfortable and even painful. Due to their low chewing power (around 10% of full power), they hinder the wearer in keeping up a healthy and enjoyable diet.
Depending on the number of implants you use to stabilize your dentures, an implant-supported denture can eliminate the need for the false palate covering the roof of your mouth and be more natural-looking at the gum line. The chewing power of an implant-supported denture is much closer to normal. You’re also providing the stimulus the bone needs to stay dense and not shrink.
We can answer all your questions about removable implant-supported dentures, how many implants you should get and other considerations. Read more about the benefits of dental implants vs. dentures.
The All-on-4 fixed implant-supported denture is a same-day upper or lower denture that is anchored into place with 4 specially placed titanium screws, or implants. This procedure is especially beneficial to those patients who were not candidates for implants due to insufficient bone density or structure.
The strength and stability of the All-on-4 can make a huge difference in the everyday movements of eating and speaking. This device eliminates the fear of dentures falling out. It’s also been found that this technique actually improves gum and bone health for denture wearers.
With fixed dentures there is no need for the palate covering the roof of the mouth and the individual teeth appear to naturally emerge from the gum. Best of all, you never have to take your dentures out, you can eat what you want, and in all ways enjoy a close-to-natural set of teeth.
Dr. Roe, who actually teaches this procedure to other dentists, will answer all your questions about the benefits of fixed implant-supported dentures. He’s an innovator in this well-established procedure and does hundreds of them.
Dr. Roe offers a Free Implant Consultation to assess which treatment would work best for your situation, review treatment options and answer any questions. He works out treatment plan options that take into account your budget and lifestyle.
“My dental situation was random teeth loss to disease and I directly sought the care of an excellent dentist. Dr. Roe is a dedicated and talented professional. He is exacting in the dental implants he has done for me.”