Do you think it’s not essential to replace a single missing tooth? Think again. While many people feel this way, just one missing tooth can start a chain reaction, leading to many oral and overall health issues. Luckily, Dr. David Rever provides single dental implant treatment for Silver Spring, MD, patients. Single implants are durable restorations that look and feel like a natural tooth.
Why Should You Replace a Missing Tooth?
Once a tooth goes missing, the bone beneath it will deteriorate, and your jawbone will slowly shrink. The surrounding teeth will begin to shift into the space. It can also increase your chance of gum disease, gum tissue decay, and further tooth loss. Luckily, Dr. David Rever offers many options to replace the tooth at his Silver Spring, MD, dentist’s office.
Choosing the proper treatment to replace your tooth can be overwhelming. The dental staff at Advanced Total Dental Care are here to help you weigh the pros and cons of each option. We recommend a single dental implant supporting a dental crown to replace your tooth if you qualify. This is the only option to look and function like a real tooth.
Dental Implant-Supported Crown
A dental implant is a screw-like metal post an oral surgeon places into the jaw bone. Once this post heals, it replaces the missing tooth root. Implants can support a dental crown, bridge, or denture.
Dental implants are known as the gold standard for tooth replacement for a reason. Implants can improve speech, bite function, and aesthetics. One of the most significant benefits of choosing an implant restoration is that it will stimulate the bone like the original tooth root once did. It will also prevent bone loss by supporting the bone beneath the gums.
Dental implants can also prevent problems that arise from other restorations, including removable dentures and bridges. Implants secure restorations so they do not slip. While patients may have to restrict their diet to softer foods with removable restorations, patients can eat what they love with implants.
Am I a Candidate for Implants?
Before any implant treatment, we will ensure that patients are good candidates. We recommend implants for adult patients who have one or more missing teeth. Patients who receive implants must have good oral health and enough jaw bone to support the implant posts.
If you have lost jaw bone, it’s possible to get healthy jaw bone back with bone grafting. Bone grafting takes healthy bone from a different part of the mouth and places it where needed. We can also provide root canal treatment, gum disease treatment, fillings, and extractions. These treatments can treat problem teeth and remove infections.
Treatment with a Single Dental Implant in Silver Spring, MD
The process of getting a single dental implant is straightforward. First, the dentist will coordinate with an oral surgeon to implant the titanium post. Then, we will wait about three to six months to let the post fuse with the surrounding bone.
Next, your dentist will attach a small piece we call an abutment to the implant post. This will require an additional few weeks of healing. Dr. Rever will attach the dental crown at his Silver Spring, MD, dental office.
There are many benefits of an implant-supported dental crown. A single implant will feel natural, allow you to eat normally, and smile comfortably. Caring for an implant-supported crown is no different than caring for your natural teeth. A dental implant-supported crown is the next best option after a natural tooth.
The dental implant posts that replace missing tooth roots are permanent. These artificial roots ensure that restorations, including crowns, last. Compared to traditional restorations, implant restorations last longer without needing a rebase or replacement. Learn more about dental crowns.
Other Tooth Replacement Options
You can also choose a partial denture or a dental bridge to replace your tooth. A bridge is a dental restoration consisting of two dental crowns with the replacement tooth (the pontic) between them. Then, a dental lab fuses them to make the bridgework.
The downside to this option is that the dentist must grind down adjacent teeth to accommodate the crowns. For example, the dentist will permanently reduce two healthy teeth to replace one single tooth. This adds a lot of pressure to the two adjacent teeth, which are also at greater risk for decay. However, a dental bridge will cost significantly less than a dental implant. You can typically receive a bridge in about two to three weeks.
A removable partial denture can also replace one tooth. The base will include metal clasps to hold it in place and a single replacement tooth. The downside to choosing this option is that the clasps are often visible when you smile. Partial dentures also come with many restrictions.
A partial denture can slip around in the mouth, causing slurred speech, and may even fall out while you are talking. It requires nightly care in addition to your regular oral hygiene routine. While this option costs the least, it will not be nearly as natural as a tooth implant.
Replace Your Missing Tooth
Prevent infections, shifting teeth, and further loss by replacing your missing tooth. Restore a lost tooth with a crown-capped dental implant. If you want to replace a tooth with a single dental implant in Silver Spring, MD, schedule a dental appointment with Dr. Rever online. You can also call Advanced Total Dental Care today at (301) 637-0960.
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