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tooth replacement

4 Ways to Replace a Missing Tooth

Fixed Bridge

A bridge is an option when there are teeth on either side of the missing tooth.

Advantages
It stays cemented in the mouth and does not come out.

Disadvantages
This does involve cutting down the teeth on either side of the missing tooth to be able to connect them together. Floss threaders, which slide under the bridge, should be used daily, to keep it clean.

The disadvantages for bridges are cutting down teeth that might be perfectly healthy. If there is a leak under the anchor teeth of the bridge, decay can occur below. A bridge can replace one or two missing teeth easily, and sometimes more if there is enough support.

Removable partial denture

A removable partial denture is worn during the day. This is used to replace one or many missing teeth.

Disadvantages 
-Sometimes amay need metal clasps to help it stay in the mouth which may be visible when speaking or smiling.
– They move a little when speaking or eating, which can be uncomfortable.
-We recommend taking them out at night and soaking them in a cleaning solution.

Advantages
There is no need to file down any teeth, and this option is usually the most economical. A full denture can replace all missing teeth.

Dental Implant

An implant is a great way to replace a missing tooth.

Advantages
This solution feels and acts the most like a natural tooth when chewing, brushing or smiling. A major advantage is no need to alter any other teeth when placing an implant. An implant is a great solution for a single missing tooth, and even more implants can replace many missing teeth. When smiling or talking there is no way to tell the difference between an implant and a natural tooth.

Disadvantages
The implant replaces the actual root of the missing tooth and heals in the bone for 3 to 7 months and we then begin the restorative phase. We or your dentist then place an abutment, to which a crown will be cemented. Dental implants are usually a more costly option, at least initially, but are often the best long-term investment.

Do Nothing

There is always the option to do nothing.

Advantages
Saves money, at least initially

Disadvantages
When a tooth is removed, the bone shrinks away and the other teeth in the area will shift to fill the gap. This can sometimes lead to other problems like shifting of other teeth, causing bone loss or decay around the existing teeth as they become more difficult to clean.

If you have questions about replacing teeth lost to fractures, decay or gum disease, contact us today at 727-586-2681.

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Emerging Implant Placement Technology: Indirect Sinus Lift

What is an Indirect sinus lift?

This procedure is less invasive than the direct sinus augmentation lift and is performed by preparing the bone for the dental implant as normal. Once the floor of the sinus has been reached, bone is gently packed in the preparation and pressed upward. This motion will tent the membrane of the sinus upward and create additional room for the full length of the implant.

As with the sinus augmentation graft or direct sinus lift, care will be taken not to damage the sinus and this procedure will have no effect on sinus pressure or affect people that suffer from seasonal allergies.

Improved tooth replacement outcomes with ridge preservation

Jawbone is preserved through the pressure and stimulus of chewing. When that is removed through tooth loss, the bone “resorbs” (reabsorbs) into the body. In the first year after tooth extraction, normally 25% of jawbone is lost, and this bone loss continues on.

Careful management of extraction sockets after a tooth is removed prevents unsightly bone loss and provides a better cosmetic outcome for tooth replacement. To increase the possibility of future implant placement, and to prevent more bone resorption, a ridge preservation procedure may be recommended. Without the use of a bone graft and collagen barrier at the time of extraction, studies show that 30­-40% of the jaw bone is immediately lost. This is because your body perceives that once the root is removed, the bone is no longer needed and your body absorbs or removes it, creating a ridge deformity.

These ridge deformities leave you with inadequate bone and tissue thickness for either bridge or dental implant restoration. The defects may have been caused by trauma, developmental defects, periodontal disease, the wearing of dentures, or through previous tooth loss.

Ridge augmentation procedures have been shown to greatly enhance the cleansability and appearance of your restorations. They increase your chance for long term successful dental restoration, both esthetically and functionally. Ridge augmentation procedures may be performed with gum tissue and/or bone grafting materials.

For more information about periodontal regenerative procedures, ridge augmentation or dental implants, contact us today at 727-586-2681.

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Options for Replacing a Missing Tooth: Fixed Bridge

Replacing a missing tooth with a fixed bridge requires preparation of at least one of the adjacent teeth on each side for a crown. It is important to still care for the teeth on each side of the bridge to prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay. This will require careful plaque control with brushing, using a floss threader under the bridge, and sometimes the addition of a rubbertip stimulator to clean under the margins of the abutment teeth (the teeth supporting the bridge which will now have full coverage restorations cemented on them).

Sometimes a bridge is the best option for a replacement of a missing tooth, but other options include a dental implant, which will not include reducing the structure of any other teeth, or a removable appliance, or partial denture. For more information, contact us at 727-586-2681 www.brittenperio.com

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Breakthroughs in Dental Implants for Tooth Replacement

Dental implants have become a vital and mandatory option for tooth replacement in recent years. Modern implant dentistry has seen major advancements in popularity and success, including better diagnostic tools for implant planning, periodontal regenerative procedures for better jaw bone support, and high-quality dental implant systems. Dr. Todd Britten is utilizing advancements in dental implant technology in his Clearwater, Florida periodontal practice.

I am excited about the many advancements in implant planning, placement and technology.

Advances in implant dentistry allow periodontal and dental implant specialist Dr.Todd Britten better tools for diagnosis and implant planning, regenerate lost bone more predictably, and place implants with more accuracy and into more sites than ever before.

Cone Beam Technology

Dr. Todd Britten now uses Cone Beam technology in his Clearwater, FL periodontal office for a better understanding of his patients’ anatomy, allowing him to place dental implants in exactly the right place and more effectively replace missing teeth. Traditional dental x-rays provide a limited picture of the patient’s mouth and jaw. Recent developments in technology have led to Cone Beam imaging, which produces 3D, high-resolution images of the mouth.

Cone beam imaging is different than a traditional dental x-ray because it uses an x-ray beam that is shaped like a cone rather than using a fan shape. After the beam passes through the patient, the remnants are collected on a silicon panel or charge-coupled device (CCD) detector. Hundreds of images are taken and are used together to form a comprehensive image of the patient, including soft tissue.

“This is a very powerful treatment tool in our practice,” says Dr. Britten. “With it, we can work together with our referring dentists to more confidently map our surgical and restorative treatment plans and place and restore implants with accuracy, while protecting our patients and our staff with lower radiation. I have read thousands of CT scans of the jaws but am still amazed at the fine details that I am now able to see in our Cone Beam CT scans.”

Dental professionals often use this type of imaging to determine the precise placement of dental implants. Dr. Britten recommends implants as the leading permanent tooth replacement solution for patients with missing teeth. After evaluating images generated by Cone Beam CT scan imaging, Dr. Britten determines whether or not implants are a good option for each patient, based on factors like jaw bone density. The images will reveal if the patients’ jaw bone is at a healthy enough degree of density to support implants.

Periodontal Regenerative Procedures

If the jaw bone does not have enough support for an implant, other periodontal regeneration procedures can be performed to support an implant. Ridge augmentation uses bone and tissue-grafting procedures to fill in the area where jaw bone has been lost, leaving more bone and better support for dental implant placement. Guided bone regeneration for ridge augmentation has been found to be very predictable. Synthetic growth factors have used for this procedure have improved and we can also use our patient’s own blood to produce materials rich in growth factors, such as L-PRF.

Improved Dental Implant Systems

Once the bone looks healthy enough, Dr. Britten will place the implants by first placing a titanium base in the bone of the jaw. An abutment piece and natural-looking crown will then be attached to the base. Patients will then care for the implants as they would their natural teeth. The ideal candidate for implants is a non­-smoker who has good oral health, including a sufficient amount of bone in the jaw and healthy gums with no sign of gum disease.

Implant sizes, materials and systems continue to improve. The titanium alloy used in dental implants now allows for more compact and biocompatible implants while still providing the needed strength to resist the strong bite forces of the mouth. Implant-supported dentures have also come a long way, and many times four implants can be used to retain a complete upper or lower denture.
Dental implants today are not only considered the gold standard of care for tooth replacement, but are usually now considered to be the superior or ideal treatment option for damaged or lost teeth. Dr. Britten said, “We are excited about the many advancements in implant planning, placement and technology. ”

About The Doctor

Britten Periodontics & Implant Dentistry is a periodontal practice offering patients personalized dental care in implant dentistry in Clearwater, Florida. Dr. Todd Britten received his Bachelor of Science & Doctorate of Dental Surgery from University of Florida, a Master’s Degree and Certificate in Periodontology and Implant Dentistry; and completed extensive training at the Institute of Advanced Laser Dentistry. He is one of the only board-certified periodontists in Pinellas County. He is a member of the American Academy of Periodontology, American Dental Association, Florida Association of Periodontists, Upper Pinellas County Dental Association, Hillsborough County Dental Association, Hillsborough County Dental Research Association and Florida West Coast Dental Association.

To learn more about Dr. Britten and his dental services, call (727) 586-2681.

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