A gap isn’t always a problem to fix. If a missing tooth does bother you, three main options can replace it, and leaving the space is a fourth.
- Dentures are removable, bridges are fixed, and implants are placed in the jaw.
- Each is made of different materials, so ask what yours would be.
- Implants involve surgery and aren’t suitable for everyone (healthdirect, dental implants).
What are the options?
- Denture: false teeth that you can take out. A full denture replaces all the teeth on a jaw, and a partial denture replaces some and is held by metal clasps around the remaining teeth (healthdirect, dentures).
- Bridge: several crowns joined together and attached to the teeth around the gap (healthdirect, dental implants).
- Implant: a screw, usually titanium, placed in your jawbone in place of the root. It can support a crown, a bridge or dentures, and it’s done in stages over a few months (healthdirect, dental implants).
- Leave the space: a real choice, though the other teeth may move into the gap (healthdirect, tooth decay).
How do materials come into it?
If you’d like to limit the metal in your mouth, ask what each option is made of. Dentures can use a lightweight metal frame, mainly cobalt chrome (healthdirect, dentures), and implants are usually titanium (healthdirect, dental implants).
Ask your dentist what’s available for your situation and what the trade-offs are. We don’t suggest any material is risk-free.
What does your dentist check first?
For an implant, your dentist checks you have enough bone to hold it. Some medicines and health conditions affect whether an implant suits you (healthdirect, dental implants).
After an implant heals, it needs the same care as your other teeth, with cleaning between the implant and its neighbours (healthdirect, dental implants).
Questions to ask
- What would each option involve for me, step by step?
- How much healthy tooth would be affected?
- What upkeep does each need, and how long might it last?
- What will it cost overall, counting reviews and a future replacement?
An implant can be expensive, so ask for a written quote and check what your health fund covers (healthdirect, dental implants). If the tooth is still there, read root canal or implant.
Sources
Where To Read Next
Want more on this topic? This page goes further, and it lists questions to bring to your visit.
Metal-Free Materials Guide