Are you missing one or more teeth? Do you want to renew your self-confidence as well as your oral health after tooth loss?
Dr. Glen Wainwright is a dentist in Austin, Texas that provides restorative treatment to patients with lost or missing teeth. Replacing missing teeth not only looks aesthetically pleasing, but can benefit your oral health in the long-run. Teeth may shift and overcrowd when there are gaps between teeth. Overcrowding makes it more difficult to clean teeth, which can result in infection.
Having strong options for this dental concern also restores the function of your mouth. Patients with missing teeth may find it more difficult to bite and chew normally, so a more balanced bite makes it easier to use teeth. Missing teeth treatments are custom-fit for patient’s comfort. We color-match them to blend in with natural teeth.
Why Replace Missing Teeth?
If you have only one missing tooth, you may not think that missing the tooth is an issue. This is also true if your lost tooth isn’t in the smile zone. But missing teeth are more than just a cosmetic issue.
Missing teeth strongly impact your oral health. When you lose a tooth, the bone in that area immediately starts to deteriorate. Your face starts to sag and it makes you look older in that area. Bone loss can also impact the teeth around it, making them more likely to have problems.
When you have a gap in your smile, the teeth around it start to shift and try to fill that gap. Not only will you have missing teeth to treat, but you may have to treat crooked teeth as well. If you’ve had Invisalign or other previous orthodontic treatment, you may have to get treatment again to take care of the relapse.
Missing teeth lead to an uneven bite as well. When you close your jaw and bite down, the pressure does not distribute evenly across your teeth. Teeth are more likely to chip or crack because they’re taking on more pressure now. An uneven bite is a cause of TMJ disorders too. These cause pain and a loss of function throughout the jaw joint and face.
Treatment Options for Missing Teeth in Austin, TX
Our dental practice provides the below tooth replacement treatment options. We can improve teeth and gums as well as the natural look of your mouth.
Dental Implants
This durable treatment option utilizes titanium posts that integrate with bone tissue in the jaw. After a healing period of 3 to 6 months, the dentist caps off the posts with an abutment and dental crown. The dental crown is custom-made to match the patient’s real teeth. Dental implants look and feel like real teeth, so they are a very popular permanent option for replacing lost teeth. Learn more about dental implants.
Dental Bridges
Are you missing many consecutive teeth in a row? Dental bridges may be the right choice for you. Our dentist can secure dental bridges with dental implants and can also use adjacent teeth as support. Patients can “bridge the gap” between missing teeth for a fuller and straighter smile. Learn more about dental bridges.
Dentures and Partial Denture
Patients with whole arches of missing teeth can benefit from removable full dentures or implant-secured dentures. Implant dentures are a stable option because of the strong titanium posts in dental implants. In fact, securing a denture with implants is a permanent treatment. Learn more about dentures.
Call our Dentist in Austin, TX for a Consultation Today
To replace missing teeth in Austin, Texas, call our dental office at 512-518-6392. You can also request a consultation with Dr. Wainwright on our dental website.