False Teeth Options

Owing to the advances in the medical field and easy access of medical services to people, the average lifespan has gradually improved. However, human teeth rarely last till the ripe age. As a result, people have to seek several artificial options of replacing teeth. Apart from geriatric dental loss, people also seek alternatives to false teeth due to several other reasons of dental loss such as injury or trauma, dental diseases etc. These days false teeth are made to fit just as well into your mouth as natural teeth. Besides, the color of the teeth, shape, size is customized to match your own teeth, so that you get a more natural appearance.

Different False Teeth Options

Your dentist will discuss the various options of false teeth with you depending upon the number of missing teeth, your age and general dental health. He may also explain the pros and cons of false teeth option that you are particularly going to opt for. Besides, he may also recommend some dos and don'ts while living with false teeth. So, in case you plan on getting false teeth, here are some of the options that you are likely to encounter.

Full Dentures
If you have substantial teeth loss on either or both jaws, then this is the option that you will inevitably have to choose. Full dentures are a complete set of teeth of upper or lower jaw. If you only need teeth replacement for one jaw, you can go for single plate, while those with teeth loss on both jaws cannot do without a double plate set of full dentures. Dentures are made of plastic or acrylic teeth with plate of same material or metal. Upper dentures cover the roof of mouth (palate) and fit more snugly. The reason is, a thin layer of saliva is formed between the plate and palate, which provides the required suction to keep the plate in place. Full dentures of lower jaw are more difficult to fit, as no such suction is created to keep them in place. Besides, lower jaw moves a lot while talking or eating, which makes the plate even more challenging to stick on.

Full dentures do not feel like your natural teeth and may cause a fair amount of discomfort while talking and eating. Besides, you may find it difficult to enjoy the flavor of food as the whole of your palate is covered by the plate. Sores, pain are some other problems that originate from the use of full dentures. Full dentures may cost you anywhere between $300 - $2000 for a single plate, depending upon the quality of material you opt for.

Partial Dentures
Partial dentures are a variation of full dentures. They consist of a metal, plastic or acrylic plate with only a few false teeth. The false teeth fit perfectly into the gaps created by missing teeth. Thus, this is a good false teeth alternative in case you only have a few missing teeth on either jaw. Partial dentures are easier to remove and put on. They are also considered as a temporary option when the person is undergoing a treatment for implants. As implants take quite some time to get installed, you can use partial dentures to fill in the gaping hole in your mouth. Partial dentures need two healthy teeth on either side of the gap, where the plate can be snapped on. However, this may create a problem for the natural, healthy teeth. Partial dentures prices start from $300 and may go up to $1800. The prices are mostly dependent upon the number of missing teeth and the material you opt for.

Dental Bridge
Dental bridge is a popular choice for many who only have a couple of missing teeth. It is common to have a three or four unit dental bridge. In a three unit dental bridge you have one false teeth supported by two crowns, whereas, four unit dental bridge consists of two false teeth and two crowns. The structure of a dental bridge is such that the false teeth fits in place of missing teeth, while the two crowns sit on the adjoining natural teeth. This creates a perfect support and anchorage for the false teeth. The adjoining natural teeth need to be specially prepared for the bridge, so that the crown fits perfectly onto them. One of the dental bridge pros and cons include loosening of the bridge after some time. The cost of three unit dental bridge is $850 to $1500, while that for a four unit bridge may cost anywhere between $1700 to $2000.

Crowns
Crowns are only caps which sit upon your natural teeth. Crowns are usually opted in case of substantial chipping of natural tooth. As in this case, the root of the tooth is undamaged, you only need a superficial treatment to improve your appearance. A crown may cost you anywhere between $500 - $3000, depending upon the extent of chipping, the location of dental clinic and several other external factor.

Dental Implants
Dental implants are considered as a near permanent solution to missing teeth. Dental implants come with a metal anchor to which an artificial tooth is attached. The anchor is screwed in your jawbone, where it fuses with your bone, over time. Dental implants may last up to 15 years without any major maintenance issues. However, the problem with dental implants is that they may not suit everyone. Besides, the process includes minor surgery, which poses the risk of infection. Dental implants are a very expensive option of tooth replacement with a price range of $1250 - $15,000.

Some people may not go for any of the options for missing teeth and leave the gap as it is. However, this is a wrong approach as the missing teeth gap affects other teeth as well, causing them to tilt towards the gap and move away from each other. Besides, it may also affect the way you look by causing your facial muscles to sag, more so, if you have multiple teeth missing.