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The healthiest thing to do when you lose a tooth is have it replaced. Otherwise, you risk problems with biting, chewing and speaking, headaches, muscle pain and an unattractive appearance. Fortunately, there are many comfortable, secure, natural-looking types of dental implants for tooth replacement.
Dental implants serve as the base for many tooth-replacement options, including bridges, dentures and individual artificial teeth. Implants are surgically implanted in the jaw to provide a comfortable, secure fit and a natural look.
In the first one or two appointments, the post or anchor is implanted in the jaw.
The replacement tooth, bridge or denture is fitted and installed when the bone and gums have healed.
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Bridges are natural-looking tooth replacements which help maintain facial structure, reduce stress on the jaw and fill in the gaps caused by missing teeth. Fixed bridges are cemented to the existing teeth and do not come out. Removable bridges can be taken out and cleaned at home.
Crowns are used to strengthen and improve the shape, size or color of teeth. They can support broken or weak teeth or those with large fillings; provide a smooth, strong, attractively contoured surface for stained, misshapen or otherwise abnormal teeth; and aid in the implantation of bridges and other implants. |
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Good oral hygiene – brushing and flossing daily – and a healthy diet are the best way to prevent plaque build-up in the mouth. But even the most thorough brushing does not always reach the deepest indentations in the back teeth (molars). Dental sealants fill in these depressions, preventing bacterial formation that causes tooth decay and other damage. In a procedure that takes only a few minutes per tooth, the dentist cleans the tooth, applies an acid solution to roughen the surface, and bonds a plastic sealant to the tooth. A special light may be used to speed the hardening process. Sealants can help both adults and children, and may be re-applied every few years. |
