If you’ve lost natural teeth, replacing them will not only improve your smile but also restore your ability to speak, eat, and drink. To prepare for a consultation with an oral surgeon about your options, learn more about the different procedures to replace missing teeth.  

3 Ways to Replace Missing Teeth

1. Dental Implant

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root placed in the jawbone during oral surgery. Made of titanium or titanium alloys, implants fuse with the jawbone. An abutment is then placed on the dental implant to support the artificial tooth, known as a crown.

2. Fixed Bridge

While an oral surgeon will recommend a dental implant when one or two teeth are missing, they might suggest a fixed bridge to replace multiple missing teeth. The teeth on both sides of the gap keep the bridge in place.

Lab technicians construct the bridge based on teeth impressions. Once the device is constructed, cement secures it in the mouth. It can’t be removed without help from a dentist.  

3. Partial Denture

Partial dentures are similar to fixed bridges, except the devices can be removed. The dentures are secured to natural teeth using metal brackets, clasps, or additional attachments.

Dentures are taken out while sleeping to ease tension on gums and bone and prevent irritation and injury. To ensure the dentures don’t lose their shape, they should soak in water or a cleaning solution at night. 

If you have missing teeth, the oral surgeons at Oral Surgery Associates of Alaska are here to help. Board-certified in oral and maxillofacial surgery, these professionals provide dental implants, bone grafts, jaw surgery, and additional solutions to improve patients’ quality of life. Learn more about the procedures the oral surgeons perform online, and call (907) 561-1430 for an appointment in Anchorage.