I'm Missing a Tooth: What's the Best Restoration for Me?

If you’re one of the 178 million Americans who are missing at least one tooth, you probably want to get it replaced. No matter whether you lost your tooth through injury, accident, disease, or decay, you’re ready to fill in the hole in your smile.

But what’s the best method of restoration when you’ve lost a tooth? You want the result to look and feel natural, but maybe you’re just not sure how to accomplish that goal.

Thankfully, you have access to experts like those at Silicon Valley Dental Associates in Sunnyvale, California, who are experienced in the best methods of restoring your missing tooth. Here are three effective options:

Dental implants

Dental implants are one of the best ways to replace missing teeth. The implant is a small titanium post that’s surgically implanted in your jawbone. 

After a period of time to allow the bone to heal around the implant, fusing it in place, your dentist installs a crown on the implant, which mimics the missing tooth. This is a great solution to replace a single missing tooth because there’s no need to involve any other teeth.

Dental bridge

When there are healthy teeth on either side of the missing tooth, your dentist may recommend a dental bridge to replace the tooth. This fixed solution includes a crown on each of the neighboring teeth, which support the false tooth (pontic) that fills in the open space. 

There are a few different types of bridges that your dentist may use, depending on where your missing tooth is located.

Dentures

You might think about your grandparents when you hear the word “dentures,” but with modern materials and technology, new options for dentures are available. 

Depending on your individual situation, your dentist may recommend a removable partial denture, a permanent denture that you don’t remove, or even a complete set of full dentures if you have multiple missing teeth.

Another option, implant-supported dentures, combines the convenience of dentures with the stability and oral health benefits of dental implants.

Don’t ignore a missing tooth

It’s important to remember that if you’re missing a tooth, you need to take action to replace it. If you do nothing, the neighboring teeth begin to shift and move, and the jawbone under the tooth eventually dissolves. 

These changes make your smile look worse and lead to increased risk of oral health issues.

When you’re ready to replace your tooth, contact Silicon Valley Dental Associates. We’ll help you decide on the best restoration to get you back to normal as soon as possible. Just call our office or book your appointment using our online scheduler.