Single Tooth Replacement Options: Making the Right Choice
| Key Takeaways: When you’re missing a tooth, you have options. Dental implants, fixed dental bridges, and partial dentures can all help to restore your smile—but they each have pros and cons. Only an experienced oral surgeon can help you determine the right tooth replacement solution for your needs and budget. |
Are you losing confidence due to a missing tooth? Is a gap in your smile causing issues with eating or talking?
Your teeth are an important part of your overall health and well-being—and your sense of self, too. Whether you’ve lost a tooth due to injury or gum disease, you’re probably wondering, “Can you replace a single tooth?”
The answer is yes: single tooth replacements are more common than you might think. They can help restore your smile, your ability to enjoy the foods you love, and your confidence too. Even better, there are a few different options to replace your missing tooth, from dentures to implants. These options vary in cost and upkeep, and all have advantages and disadvantages.
We’ve explored all of your single tooth replacement options below—but before you decide what’s right for you, make sure you consult with experienced oral surgeons like the team at Bergen Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in NJ. An oral surgeon can give you the best advice to choose the right long-term solution for the gaps in your smile.
Why Replace a Missing Single Tooth?
A missing tooth should be replaced for a number of reasons, from aesthetics to the protection of your oral health.
Having a full set of teeth is a confidence booster, especially if the missing tooth is in a prominent location. Missing teeth also frequently make it harder to chew and talk, which can be both uncomfortable and embarrassing.
The longer your tooth is missing, the more likely you are to experience other related problems as well. Your remaining teeth may naturally shift into the gap, negatively impacting the alignment of your overall bite and even weakening the roots of those teeth. This shifting can also further impact your smile and your appearance, changing the structure of your jaw and even your face.
Without a tooth in place, your jawbone is also more susceptible to bone loss, injury, and other concerns as well. These are all good reasons to replace your lost tooth as soon as possible.
Options for Single Tooth Replacement
There are three common solutions for a single missing tooth: dental implants, a fixed dental bridge, or removable dentures. These single tooth replacement options each have their advantages and disadvantages. They range from temporary to permanent, and vary in both durability and cost as well, ensuring that there’s a tooth replacement option for every need and every budget.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are the most permanent and natural-looking solution to a missing tooth. Where the root of your tooth once extended into your jaw bone, an oral surgeon will place a titanium pin. Titanium is lightweight and immune-system friendly, so your body is unlikely to reject it. Once the jaw and gum around the pin have healed, a prosthetic tooth is attached. The tooth sits in line with the rest of your teeth, a natural-looking addition to your smile.
The benefits of dental implants are their permanency, durability, and realistic appearance. Dental implants allow you to enjoy a restored smile—and all your favorite foods too.
You don’t have to remove a dental implant for cleaning, and it’s not likely to shift over time. In fact, the implant post goes through a natural process called osseointegration which causes it to fuse with your jawbone and gums. This can actually help prevent bone loss in your jaw over the long term.
Of course, that permanency comes at a cost. Dental implants are typically the most expensive option for replacing a single tooth. The procedure to install a dental implant is surgical. As with any surgery, you’ll need to be in good health. You’ll also need to have good oral health—and enough bone mass to help the titanium pin take hold.
If your jaw isn’t strong enough for the implant on its own, your surgeon may recommend bone grafting before installing the titanium pin. You’ll want to account for healing time, and, often, another visit to your surgeon’s office to place the prosthetic tooth.
Learn more about dental implants in NJ.
Fixed Dental Bridge
A fixed dental bridge uses your remaining teeth to fill the gaps in your smile. With a dental bridge, hardware is affixed to the teeth around the gap to hold a prosthetic tooth in place. The replacement tooth sits on the surface of your jaw and gums, unlike a dental implant whose implantation pin extends securely into the gums.
Depending on the type of dental bridge used, hardware is either affixed to the surface of the healthy teeth, or the teeth are broken down and crowns installed over top.
Fixed dental bridges are considered permanent. They do not have to be removed for cleaning and can, for all intents and purposes, be treated just as your natural teeth are. When crafted well, they look just as natural as your real teeth, too—a quality they share with dental implants. Unlike dental implants, however, fixed dental bridges do not require the steep costs and recovery times associated with surgery. They’re also a good option for anyone without the bone mass needed for an implant, as long as the surrounding teeth are secure.
There are, however, some drawbacks to fixed bridges. This missing tooth solution requires a healthy tooth on either side of the gap. Modifying these surrounding teeth can also introduce the risk of damage to one or both.
Removable Partial Dentures
Removable partial dentures are the least permanent tooth replacement option, but they’re also the most cost-effective. Partial dentures allow you to temporarily place teeth into the gaps in your smile, using clips and hardware to hold the temporary teeth in place.
Typically made of plastic, partial dentures are the least natural-looking option available. They also must be cleaned every night, and, like with regular dentures, a perfect fit is required to prevent slipping, whistling, and food from getting stuck underneath. Because they are crafted from a softer material than the prosthetic teeth of implants or fixed dental bridges, dentures are not as durable as these more permanent options. Dentures need to be replaced over time, which does add to their long-term cost. Plus, some users may find them uncomfortable, and you may not be able to easily eat all of your favorite foods.
Even so, for many people, partial dentures are the best “for now” option to restore their smile. The low cost of partial dentures makes them very accessible. There’s also no surgery and no need to worry over the amount of bone mass available.
Restore Your Confidence and Comfort with the Right Single Tooth Replacement
When teeth are missing from your smile, it can be a frustrating and embarrassing experience. A tooth replacement is the best way to restore your confidence and comfort, and the team at Bergen Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in NJ is ready to help you understand your single tooth replacement options.
Whether you decide to get dental implants or fitted for temporary dentures, our doctors and support team strive to make your comfort and well-being a top priority. The BOMS team includes the only dual degree oral surgeons in Bergen County, with expertise in both dentistry and medicine that allows us to care for your overall health—not just your teeth.
From consultation to recovery, we’re here for you. Plus, we have more than 70 years of experience in providing excellent oral surgery in NJ. Our doctors are always on call to answer questions and respond to emergencies. Call us today to learn more!
Personalized, gentle, comprehensive patient care is our number one priority.
Frequently Asked Questions about Single Tooth Replacement
What are the main options for replacing a single missing tooth?
The three most common options for single tooth replacement are dental implants, fixed dental bridges, and removable partial dentures. These solutions vary in longevity, durability, and cost.
What are the advantages of dental implants?
Dental implants are a permanent, long-lasting solution to tooth loss. Implants are securely installed in the jaw bone with a titanium rod, look and function like real teeth, and do not need to be removed for cleaning. Dental implants can last a lifetime with proper care, and they help to preserve your jawbone and facial structure—without affecting the surrounding teeth.
How long do dental bridges last?
While they’re considered a permanent solution to tooth loss, dental bridges typically last between five and seven years before requiring replacement. The material used, your lifestyle, and your oral hygiene habits all impact the longevity of your fixed dental bridge.
What is the least expensive option for single tooth replacement?
Removable partial dentures are typically the least expensive option to replace a single tooth. They require no surgery and no healing time. However, they are considered a temporary solution; dentures must be replaced periodically, and they do not look as natural as dental implants or fixed dental bridges.
