Your Options for Replacing Missing Teeth

How can I replace a missing tooth?Many of our patients visit our office looking for more information on replacing missing teeth. It’s important to note that missing teeth are not just a cosmetic concern. They also can cause more serious dental concerns, including jaw pain, dental damage, and even further tooth loss. This is because missing teeth apply additional strain to your remaining dental structures. As your trusted restorative dentist in North Liberty, IA, we want to provide some additional information on our restorative dentistry services. If you are considering seeking restorative dentistry care, here are the most common options that our office suggests:

Dental Bridges

Dental bridges are an efficient and cost-effective method of replacing missing teeth.  They utilize the external support of surrounding teeth to hold a prosthetic tooth in the space of a missing tooth. For traditional dental bridges, your dentist will reshape the surrounding teeth to prepare them for the dental crowns, take digital impressions of your teeth to help design a custom dental bridge, and then secure your dental bridge to your teeth once it is complete. Our office offers both traditional dental bridges and implant-secured dental bridges, which offer additional benefits in terms of the stability of the bridge. Dr. Tu will help you determine which type of dental bridge will best suit your needs.

Dental Implants

Dental implants involve the surgical implanting of a titanium post into your jawbone. Through the healing process, this post fuses together with your jawbone to give your tooth restoration tooth-root functionality. On average, implants need 3-6 months to heal and fuse with the jaw bone fully. Our team will monitor your progress to ensure your implants are healing appropriately. Once fully healed, the post is topped off with an abutment and a dental crown. With dental implants, your restored tooth has the look, feel, and function of a natural tooth. While this option takes longer and is often more expensive than dental bridges, it also offers more longevity and less maintenance overall than dental bridges.

Dentures & Partials

There are two types of dentures–full dentures and partial dentures–both of which can be permanently secured using dental implants for the most natural smile restoration. Partial dentures are similar to a dental bridge in that they can replace several consecutive missing teeth. Full dentures replace a full arch of teeth. If you are considering dentures or partials, Dr. Tu will use digital diagnostics, a thorough exam, and a discussion of your personal concerns as goals as the foundation for your treatment plan. He will discuss all aspects of the procedure, what to expect along the way, and outline all associated costs for your consideration.

Schedule An Appointment

If you are in need of restorative dentistry services to replace one or more teeth, please schedule an appointment with our compassionate team. Design Dental, Inc. is a full-service cosmetic and family dentist office proudly serving patients in North Liberty, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and surrounding communities. We are committed to providing exceptional dental care to patients of all ages, and we look forward to seeing you soon.