Dental implants have become the new standard in the replacement of missing teeth. When you have multiple missing teeth or severely damaged ones that need to be extracted, you may consider dental implant restorations. At the Dental Implant Center at Walnut Creek, we are proud to help our patients who have several missing teeth to regain their bite function, smile aesthetics, and improve their dental health.If you are seeking an option for multiple teeth replacement in Walnut Creek, CA that offers stable, natural-looking teeth, our implant specialist will be happy to help you. We provide dental implants for missing teeth that can last for decades. For those tired of the hassle associated with traditional dentures or bridges, dental implants are the perfect fit.
Dental Issues Associated with Missing Teeth
When you have several missing teeth, you may have dental issues such as difficulty chewing food. Your adjacent teeth may also start to shift, causing bite misalignment issues. Additionally, people with multiple missing teeth have more chances of having gum disease, bad breath, and poor dental hygiene. Bone loss can also occur if you don't seek solutions to replace the missing teeth.
How Can Dental Implants Help When you Have Multiple Missing Teeth?
When you get dental implants to replace several missing teeth you help stop the bone recession process. Your jawbone starts to rebuild and grow, ensuring that the rest of the teeth remain firmly secured in place. Dental implants are stable and more comfortable than partial dentures. With these implants, they help maintain the structural integrity of your face by preventing sagging of the jawline. The gum line is also kept intact since there are no metal clasps utilized that could wear away the gums.
Further, tooth implants help reinstate your natural chewing and biting ability and preserve the remaining or adjacent natural teeth. Dental implants provide a natural function, look, and feel. They behave just like natural teeth.
Options for Multiple Teeth Replacement
Dental implants can replace individual teeth, but if you have several teeth missing, you can still benefit from these restorations. In fact, they can also replace an entire arch of teeth. There are different options for replacing multiple missing teeth and they include implant-supported bridges, cantilever bridges, and implant-supported partials. Based on the condition of an individual's gums and jawbone, our dentist can utilize a single implant post to support two adjacent teeth.
Cantilever Bridge
When you need to have two adjacent teeth replaced, it is possible to have one implant post used to hold one tooth and the second one suspended to it. However, if these teeth are not adjacent to each other, the dentist will have to use two separate implants.
Implant-Supported Bridges
People with two or more teeth missing on the same arch may consider implant-supported bridges. It is a process that entails placing several implants to provide support for the bridge. This kind of dental bridge supported by implants feels more comfortable, stable, and is also durable. It doesn't cause gum irritation.
An implant-supported bridge is an ideal solution for people with insufficient jawbone. It can hold individual implants. No support is needed from the adjacent teeth, so they remain intact. Further, the jawbone is preserved and the restoration itself is able to maintain function for a long time.
Implant-Supported Partials
You can have partial dentures that are supported with dental implants. They function similarly to implant bridges, however, they are removable and not fixed as in the case of implant bridges. If you are moving from traditional partial dentures to a more stable tooth replacement solution, you may find implant-supported partial dentures a better option. Furthermore, patients who grind their teeth can also benefit from these implant-supported partials since they can take out the partial to protect it from damage.
Multiple Teeth Implant Procedure
The process begins by making a consultation appointment. Here, the treatment plan is discussed. Replacing multiple teeth can involve different procedures depending on the person's individual case.
You may need to get temporary teeth to wear over the implant site. When that is not the case, a temporary healing cap is fastened into the top part of the implant. This cap helps seal off the interior of the implant from the surrounding oral environment. The healing cap can prevent gum tissue from growing inside the implant. The dentist then trims, shapes, and repositions back the gum flaps over the jawbone and around the healing cap. Sutures are placed in order to help secure the gum tissue as it heals. These sutures are later removed after seven to 10 days.
Over the next two to six months, you will go through a healing period. During this time, the implants will fuse with the bone to create the anchors from where the new teeth will be mounted. Thereafter, the dentist will uncover the implants and remove the healing cap. An abutment piece will be attached. Again, the gums will be left to heal, a process that takes a few weeks.
The final step is where the bridge created to resemble your natural teeth is attached to the abutment piece. With your implant-supported bridge for multiple teeth replacement, you will have a long-term teeth replacement solution that requires only standard care and is easy to maintain.
Placing multiple dental implants isn't painful since the dentist utilizes local anesthesia and sedation. Request an appointment with our dental implants team at the Dental Implant Center at Walnut Creek by calling (925) 266-3550. We want to restore your smile and replace your missing teeth with our dental implant procedures.
