If you are missing one or more teeth, it can be detrimental to your physical and emotional well-being. There are several reasons for missing teeth- you may have been involved in an accident or sustained an injury that knocked out a tooth or caused unrepairable damage. Perhaps you have tooth decay and gum disease to the point that your teeth are falling out or need to be extracted. Then again, maybe you have a genetic condition known as hypodontia.

Whatever the reason for your missing teeth, you're not alone. Recent statistics indicate that around 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth and 40 million have no teeth. Missing teeth make it difficult to eat, drink, talk, and can have an effect on your self-confidence as well.

If you're concerned about your missing teeth, you should know that you have options. The staff at Arlington Dental Excellence can help. We have a variety of missing teeth replacement treatments. Schedule your consultation today to learn what treatment is right for you. We would love to help you get your smile and confidence back as soon as possible.

Tooth implants are a very popular tooth replacement option. In fact, more than 3 million Americans have them. They can be used to replace a single tooth or as a support for implant-supported bridges. Implants are used to replace one or multiple teeth. It is a prosthetic device that is implanted in the jawbone beneath your gums and imitates the root structure of natural teeth. Once implanted, it serves as a foundation for dental prostheses including crowns, dentures, and bridges. They are popular because they stimulate bone growth and provide stability and durability, allowing teeth to function as they did before.

Snap-on dentures, also known as denture implants or snap-in dentures, are a removable solution for tooth restoration. Implants are inserted into your jawbone and dentures are created to "snap" onto the rods. This option for replacing your missing teeth takes advantage of the major benefits of dental implants: strength and durability.

In the case of a full mouth restoration, the denture is mounted on 2 rods- but depending on the condition of your mouth, Dr. Alan Jureidini, our Periodontist/Implantologist may decide to use 4. This will increase the stability of the denture. Snap-on dentures work well for both upper and lower teeth and must be removed at night for cleaning.

The All-on-4 implant tooth replacement solution is where the dentist will insert four implants into your jawbone- two in the back, angled, and two in the front. If you have a larger arch, the dentist may use 6 implants instead to provide better stability.

Then, a permanent full-arch bridge will be attached to the posts. These are often referred to as "permanent dentures" or "permanent bridge".

For a long time, patients in Arlington, Virginia have chosen dental bridges to replace their missing teeth. A traditional dental bridge holds one or more artificial teeth, depending on your needs, between two healthy teeth that support the bridge with crowns cemented in place. There are some advantages to this tooth replacement option:

Getting fitted takes less time than implant-supported option 

Less expensive than implant-supported bridges  

However, there are some disadvantages to traditional bridges that make implant-supported bridges a better option:

• Anchoring teeth must be structurally sound 
• Anchoring teeth will need to be altered to accommodate a crown 
• Will not prevent bone loss  

These disadvantages are why more patients are opting for implant-supported bridges. An implant-supported bridge is anchored to implants placed into your jawbone. A titanium post will be placed on each side of the gap. Once you've healed from the implants being inserted, an abutment will be attached to the post. Then, the bridge with your replacement teeth will be permanently attached.