A dental implant can fill a gap left by a missing tooth to restore your smile. However, dental implants can also be used in the restoration of multiple teeth. Still, it may not be advisable to have a dental implant installed for every missing tooth if you are missing multiple teeth. For people who are missing multiple teeth, dental implants can be used in conjunction with other devices. Here are a few of them:
Overdentures
Overdentures are dentures that have a connecting mechanism built into the bottom of the dentures. The mechanism allows the dentures to be attached to underlying remaining teeth or to dental implants. If you have remaining teeth in your mouth, your dentist is likely to configure the overdentures to attach to those teeth. However, many people who wear dentures no longer have any natural teeth. To stabilize their dentures, dental implants can be installed.
The overdentures attach to the dental implants to keep the dentures stable. The dental patient can perform normal activities, such as chewing, speaking and laughing, without fearing that the dentures will slip out of place. This can be especially important for older people who may be nutritionally deficient. Anything that prohibits them from eating a healthy, varied diet should be addressed. If you are missing multiple teeth and would like to have dentures that remain stable in your mouth, an overdenture may be a suitable option.
Fixed Dental Bridges
Fixed dental bridges are permanent dental appliances that are bonded to natural teeth or to dental implants. The dental bridge has false teeth in the center of the appliance, but the ends of the bridge consist of dental crowns. The dental crowns attach the dental bridge to the teeth or implants to hold the appliance firmly in place.
If dental implants will be used during the application of a dental bridge, the implants should be placed a few months before the bridge is installed. Each implanted screw must have enough time to fuse with the cells of the jawbone. This fusion causes the implant to remain stable in the mouth. After the integration of the bone and the screw, an abutment can be attached to the dental implant. It is this abutment that allows a bridge crown to connect to a dental implant.
To learn more about dental implants, schedule a consultation with a dentist in your area or click here for more information.
Share18 March 2016
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