If you’re frustrated by gaps in your grin, you’re not alone. Did you know that according to the American College of Prosthodontists, an estimated 178 million people have lost at least one tooth in the United States, and about 40 million have lost them all? Yikes!
Thankfully, your dentist can restore your smile’s functionality and appearance with dental implants. These prosthetics are versatile enough to replace some or all your missing teeth, so how do you know how many you need? Continue reading to learn more about how many dental implants might be required to rebuild your grin based on your unique situation!
What are Dental Implants?
Many experts consider these artificial teeth the ideal way to rebuild your smile after tooth loss because of their unique placement in your jawbone. They include a titanium pole that’s surgically inserted into the bone. This functions like a root to stimulate new bone growth every time you bite down or chew, which eventually wraps around and fuses with the metal. As a result, implants are typically stronger and more reliable than alternatives like dentures or dental bridges.
There are multiple ways dental implants can be used to restore your grin depending on how many teeth you’ve lost, which are outlined in more detail below.
Missing A Single Tooth
Patients who have only lost one tooth might be a good candidate for a single dental implant. For this procedure, a titanium rod is placed in the jawbone where your tooth used to be. Once your mouth has healed enough, they’ll fit you with a customized dental crown to cap it.
If you’re worried that your new tooth will look awkward next to the ones you were born with, you can set your fears aside. Your crown can be designed to match the shade, shape, and size of your natural teeth for seamless results.
Missing Several Teeth Consecutively
If you’ve lost a few teeth sporadically throughout your mouth, your dentist can place implants accordingly. However, there’s a simpler way to bridge the gap in your grin for those missing several in a row.
Your dentist can place two implants on either side of the space in your smile to hold a special dental bridge. This method combines the resilience and longevity of implants with the versatility and convenience of dental bridges to restore your mouth’s appearance and functionality.
Missing All or Most Teeth
When your teeth fall out, your jawbone starts to thin and eventually can no longer support the ones left behind, resulting in additional tooth loss. If all or most of your pearly whites have already fallen out, getting dental implants can preserve your jawbone to maintain your facial structure and prevent additional damage. Four to eight implants can be inserted in each of your arches (upper and lower) to hold complete sets of dentures. Unlike the standard type, these prosthetics will be held permanently in place and aren’t intended to be removed regularly.
As you can see, dental implants can replace some or all of your lost teeth, depending on your needs!
About the Practice
At Family Dental Associates of Spring Hill, you benefit from two dentists who provide a full array of services to build happy, healthy smiles. Dr. Allen and Dr. Jewell are committed to ongoing education so you know you’re always getting the most up-to-date treatments, and are members of the American Dental Association among other professional organizations. Their comfortable atmosphere is equipped with state-of-the-art technology so they can complete the implant procedure conveniently in the office. If you need to rebuild your smile, you can request a consultation on the website or call (615) 302-1414.