Few things can make you self-conscious as easily as damaged or missing teeth. While there are several ways that tooth loss or damage can occur, such as sports injuries or simply eating hard food, many people are unaware that there are a number of options available to repair the damage. Even if you were unable to salvage the tooth that was lost, your local dentist in Matawan can perform a number of procedures to hide the gaps in your smile and make it look like the damage never even occurred.
Dentures are the type of oral prosthetics that everyone is familiar with. When you mention dentures, many people think of full dentures which replace the full set of upper or lower teeth, or both. However, your General Dentist can also provide you with partial dentures that are sufficient for hiding smaller gaps in your teeth. Partial dentures are a semi-permanent solution for hiding gaps in your smile that are three to four teeth wide. They attach to your healthy teeth using clasps, and can be removed overnight or at any other time for comfort. Partial dentures do not put a lot of stress on your healthy teeth, but are not well-suited for small gaps, such as those caused by loss of a single tooth.
Dental bridges and implants are the other, more permanent oral prosthetic solution that your dentist in Matawan can offer. Implants are fake teeth, usually made from porcelain, that are bolted into your jawbone for a permanent tooth repair solution. Single implants cover the space of a single tooth and are simply bolted between the remaining healthy teeth. Dental bridges are better suited for wider gaps of two to three teeth or more, and are placed by attaching them to the healthy teeth on either side of the gap. The adjacent teeth are filed down and fitted with dental crowns, and the prosthetic teeth between them cover the gap left by the lost teeth.
If you have damaged or missing teeth that are in need of replacement, talk with your dentist in Matawan to get more information on the oral prosthetics he or she can offer to repair your smile.
