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A healthy dentition (set of teeth) is essential to our overall wellness. From how well we’re able to process and absorb the nutrients in our food, to our self-confidence in social settings, each individual tooth plays an extremely crucial role in our quality of life.

But what happens when we have a missing tooth? Maybe we lost it because of an accident, or it had to be extracted due to disease. Sadly, leaving the space there — even if it’s not visible when you smile — can lead to permanent changes in how your other teeth line up. It’s best to replace your missing teeth as soon as possible.

In years past, some of the most popular ways to replace a tooth was with a dental bridge or removable partial denture. With partials, the prosthesis is removable and clips into place around your other teeth. And although bridges are predictable, they require altering healthy teeth in order to cement them into place. In other words, you’re performing dental work on virgin teeth (essentially placing a crown on them) so that you can fill in the gap between them. Over time, updating and maintaining that bridge means re-crowning those supporting teeth about every 10 years or so.

Fortunately, the best way to replace missing teeth in Conroe is by getting dental implants. Although modern implant designs are a “newer” form of tooth replacement, they’re healthier and less invasive to your overall smile. Essentially, our implant specialist in The Woodlands can replace any number of missing teeth without any alteration or negative impact on the teeth next to them. They’re designed to mimic the natural shape and size of a tooth root, so there aren’t any cumbersome restorations involved.

Choosing an implant is less invasive than a bridge and more secure than a partial. It is essentially like having a new tooth all over again. But let’s say you don’t have any teeth because you need to replace all of them; what then? If that’s the case, our Conroe periodontist can use as few as four implants per arch to support a full-arch design, called TeethXpress (which is similar to “All on 4”).

Unlike other types of tooth replacements, dental implants rarely need to be re-treated or changed out. In fact, there’s less than a 2% failure rate. That means once you invest in implants, they’re likely to be with you for the rest of your life!

Partial dentures and dental bridges are still used today. For some people, they’re the best tooth replacement option available. But for even better results, consider scheduling a dental implant consultation with our Conroe periodontist. We ensure the best results possible for our patients throughout The Woodlands and greater North Houston areas. You can call us directly or ask for a referral from your family dentist. Contact us today to request a consultation!