The disadvantages of traditional treatment options

Ideally, tooth replacement should preserve the integrity of your facial structures and replicate your natural teeth as closely as possible both in function and appearance. Unfortunately, traditional methods of tooth replacement such as bridges, partials and dentures do not preserve the bone.

In order to replace a missing tooth with a fixed bridge, it is necessary to grind down the adjacent teeth to fit the bridge in place. The space created by the missing tooth is filled with a bridge of three fused crowns which are cemented onto the teeth that have been ground down. In addition to the damage to the adjacent teeth, the bone deteriorated since the missing tooth is not replaced.

Removable partials and dentures actually accelerate bone resorbtion, or deterioration. The result is often a poor fitting partial plate or denture that significantly impairs the quality of life. In extreme cases, people who wear dentures will choose to avoid social contact, have unhealthy diets, suffer from constant 'denture sores' and sometimes experience depression. In addition, certain anatomical problems do not allow bridges, partial plates and dentures to be made to replace missing teeth.

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