Patients from all over London and Surrey visit the Gentle Dental practice to receive life-changing restorative implant dentistry that renews their smiles.
What Patients with Missing Teeth Must Know
Hugely impacting your confidence, teeth lost either to gum disease, tooth decay, genetics or injury can be a big problem!
The negative effects don’t stop there. Edentulism refers to the loss of permanent teeth and when gaps in the mouth are left ignored patients can be at risk of greater and broader health consequences.
Dr Ali Rifai – Implant Dentist
Is it wrong to have missing teeth?
When a tooth is no longer present, the gum loses a lot of its natural protection against debris, thus heightening the risk of gum disease.
This can inflame the gum, contribute to a reduction in jaw bone density and even cause further tooth loss.
Leading restorative dentist Dr Rifai has seen first-hand the effects that missing teeth can have on the condition of your oral health and hygiene.
- When you lose a tooth, the natural roots that once embedded into your jawbone are no longer there, putting pressure on surrounding teeth to hold the weight. Almost all patients with missing teeth experience bone loss.
- Bone does not grow back, and patients can experience a depletion in bone density within just six months of losing the tooth. This will require bone grafts surgery before any reconstructive surgery can be scheduled.
- Other teeth can shift as gaps are present, which can impact the entire bite. The risk of periodontal disease and gum recession is also high.
- Patients can expect the shape and the structure of their face to change as teeth impact facial aesthetics.
That’s why it’s crucial to replace a missing tooth as soon as possible to protect and preserve the oral state.
The best options to replace missing teeth permanently
Which type of prosthetic or prosthesis will work for you? All the options implant dentistry can offer:
There are multiple restorative solutions to replace teeth lost.
The most popular replacement methods tend to include Bridges, Partial Dentures / Implant-Retained Dentures and Titanium Implants.
However, in recent years, patients with missing teeth have been moving away from older, less reliable treatments like dentures and bridges and opting for dental implants, which can last a lifetime.
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Solutions for missing front teeth:
Single implants are likely to be prescribed in this situation because they will be the simplest and easiest way to restore stability and aesthetics.
It will take three months, once the implant has been placed into your jawbone to fuse, we call this a period of healing or osseointegration.
The artificial teeth screw into the implant – offering more security to cemented implants.
Dental bridges can be used to replace a single tooth, however, it may not be the most natural-looking solution for patients wanting to replace front teeth. The same can be said for dentures in this scenario.
Several teeth missing:
Dental bridges can be a cost-effective solution. They are a tried and tested method of replacing several teeth in one go.
The bridge is comprised of a false tooth or teeth and is attached to neighbouring teeth on either side of the spaced area.
For a more natural-looking smile, patients can combine bridges with implantation treatments, for example; implant-supported bridges.
Individual implants can be used to replace multiple gaps across the mouth either individually, or together.
Patients can save money on treatment by combining procedures like dentures that are clipped onto implants in strategic positions.
New teeth for complete tooth loss
These are often complex cases and require a lot of work and careful attention from an experienced dental professional or prosthodontist.
Often in situations like this, we would recommend procedures like All-on-Four, so patients can save money by only purchasing implants that act as an anchor in all four corners of the mouth.
All on Four are full-arch fixed implant bridges that support either four or six dental implants at once.
The procedure offers minimal discomfort and cheaper rates than single tooth implants.
Other alternative, more affordable treatments include implant-retained dentures or implant-supported bridges.
Replacing missing teeth cost
Alternatives to artificial teeth:
- Maryland Bridge: £650
- Fixed Bridge: £575 per unit
- Dental implant (crown and abutment): £1,900
- All on 4/6 (Full arch): £9,995
- Zygoma: £19,995
The cheapest way to pay for implant surgery
Looking to replace a number of teeth on a budget? Honestly, you should not be looking for cheap solutions when it comes to replacing teeth.
Your natural teeth are very strong and help you in lots of different ways you may not even realise.
Comprising on the cost of these treatments will mean that you are choosing lower-quality treatments by non-experienced or specialist dentists.
Tooth replacement can be expensive depending on the treatment you choose but remember it comes at a cost for a reason, especially in the case of dental implants, which require very little maintenance and last practically forever.
Patients can spread the cost however with 0% finance options, which will allow for no-interest payments for up to 24 months.
Implants are not free on the NHS as they dramatically enhance your appearance, so are therefore considered cosmetic in nature.
Single Implants
Often used in simple cases where one tooth has been lost by accident or trauma. More.
Multiple Implants
Used in cases of multiple tooth loss in different locations in the mouth, where teeth are not missing in a row. More.
All-on-Four
Perfect for full mouth reconstructions, where patients have experienced tooth loss on the upper and lower jaws. More.
