Treatment Options Compared in Northridge, CA

Tooth Replacement Options Compared

Choosing the tooth replacement treatment option that’s best for you is an important decision, both financially and health-wise. As your trusted implant dentists in Northridge, CA, Drs. Kayla, Terence, and Casey Lau want you to feel confident in whichever tooth replacement option you choose. Whether you’re missing one tooth, multiple teeth, or an entire arch, it’s important to explore all your options when selecting a restorative treatment.

Bridges

Dental bridges are porcelain single or adjacent multi-tooth restorations. They stay in place using crowns attached to the teeth on either side of the missing teeth’s gap to provide “anchors” for the false teeth that will fill that gap. These false teeth, known as pontics, are manufactured to fill the space and are connected to the “anchor” crowns permanently. As a result, patients can continue to perform regular dental hygiene activities without removing the actual bridge.

Drawbacks of Bridges

While bridges can be especially useful for those who don’t qualify for implants, there are some notable drawbacks:

1. Dental bridges typically last only five to ten years and will require replacement.
2. Dental bridges impede proper teeth cleaning, increasing your risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
3. Because dental bridges aren’t secured via the jawbone like implants, they don’t prevent jawbone depletion or resorption.
4. Resorption resulting from dental bridges can cause sagging and premature wrinkles to develop on your face. 
5. Dental bridges require shaving down healthy teeth to use for support, permanently damaging those teeth and making them more prone to decay.

Dentures

Dentures and partial dentures are simple, often affordable tooth replacement options for restoring whole arches of missing teeth. Because they’re removable, dentures are also easy to clean. Thanks to centuries worth of improvement, they’re much more durable and attractive than they used to be.

Drawbacks of Dentures

Unfortunately, dentures have many drawbacks that disqualify them as a long-term tooth replacement option: 

1. Dentures rely on potentially foul-tasting adhesives and suction to stay in place. Without adhesive, they can easily slide around and fall out.
2. The potential for your dentures to slip around and fall out can make eating, speaking, and smiling with confidence difficult. 
3. Dentures don’t stimulate your jawbone the way a tooth’s root does, so they also won’t protect you from resorption. Wearing dentures can accelerate resorption rates. 
4. Resorption from wearing dentures can distort the shape of your jawbone, making dentures fit less securely and less comfortably over time.
5. Resorption resulting from denture wear can cause facial sagging and premature wrinkles. 
6. Dentures reduce bite force by up to 50 percent, increasing the risk of choking, indigestion, and poor nutritional intake.
7. Eating with dentures can be painful. 
8. Failure to remove your dentures nightly for cleaning and soaking can lead to foul-smelling bacterial growth, damage, and serious infections. 
9. Because dentures are removable, they’re also easy to lose.  

Dental Implants– The Best Investment in Your Smile

In terms of sustainability, effectiveness, and durability there’s no contest. Dental implants offer the best of any available tooth replacement option, so you can get the most out of your smile for the long term. The numerous benefits of dental implants include but aren’t limited to:

• Being permanently affixed to your jawbone so they stay secure
• Preventing resorption and dental drift
• Maintaining the shape of your face
• Being customized to look and act like your natural teeth
• Lasting a lifetime with proper oral hygiene and regular dental exams 
• Don’t need to be removed to be cleaned
• Superior protection against tooth loss-related health issues
• Allowing you to eat, speak, and smile with confidence

Choose Dental Implants & Get the Most Out Of Your Smile!

Simply put, there’s no better tooth replacement option than dental implants. At Mid-Valley Dental Care we have implant tooth replacement options for every kind of tooth loss and we’ll work with you to find the treatment option that best suits your budget, your time, and your overall health and well-being.

To learn more about the benefits of dental implants as a treatment option for tooth loss, or to schedule an appointment with one of the Lau doctors, call our office in Northridge, CA by dialing 818-239-4956. You can also get in touch by filling out the contact form below. We serve patients from Northridge and surrounding areas such as Granada Hills, Winnetka, and Chatsworth, CA.