Tooth Extraction: Replacing a Missing Tooth

After an injured or infected tooth has been extracted, the tricky part is finding an affordable and safe way to fill the gap. Dental insurance plans vary greatly with what they will and won't cover when it comes to replacing a missing tooth, and the ideal solutions are also the most expensive. Depending on the particular tooth that was extracted, it may be important to find some sort of prosthetic to keep the other teeth from shifting as quickly as you can afford to do so. Here are the five primary methods of replacing a single missing tooth after a tooth extraction.

Flipper - Temporary Tooth Replacement

If the tooth that has been extracted is located in the front of the mouth, a flipper might be in order until a permanent solution can be found. A flipper is a temporary replacement for a missing tooth that many patients use for many years following a tooth extraction. The devices fits against the roof or gum line of the mouth with a prosthetic tooth that fits into the gap left by the lost tooth attached. While some patients complain that a flipper feels uncomfortable, this is frequently a result of a bad fit, adjusting to a brand new devise or eating with the flipper in place, which dentists suggest avoiding.

Nesbit - Temporary Tooth Replacement

If the tooth in question is a molar or other posterior tooth, a Nesbit provides a great temporary replacement for a missing tooth, although it is not without its critics in the dental community. A Nesbit only fits the portion of the mouth where the tooth has been lost and the surrounding gum line and many patients claim that they feel quite comfortable and relatively easy to get used to. However, failing to keep the Nesbit in place and follow proper hygiene can lead to further complications, and there is the possibility of inadvertently swallowing the Nesbit and incurring severe internal injury.

Removable Partial Denture

A removable partial denture, or RFD, is reminiscent of an orthodontic retainer. The device fits along the interior gum line in the same manner as a retainer with a prosthetic tooth that fits into spot where the tooth was extracted. In the case of replacing a single missing tooth, some suggest that RFD's are a bit unwieldy.

Dental Bridge

The traditional method of replacing a missing tooth has been the dental bridge. Although there are many different types of dental bridges, they are all basically a fixed partial denture which replaces a missing tooth by permanently bridging the gap with some material between the adjacent teeth.

Dental Implant

Once a tooth has been extracted, most dentists seem to suggest a dental implant as the ideal solution for replacing a missing tooth. Unfortunately, this can prove to be a very expensive solution without solid coverage by dental insurance. A dental implant is a permanent replacement for a missing tooth that is inserted into the jaw with the use of a titanium screw. When I asked my regular dentist about this option, he greatly emphasized recommending to go to an oral surgeon in order to have a dental implant performed. Although many dentists know how to do dental implants, he explained, it is a complicated procedure that he feels is best left in the hands of a trained surgeon. As he put it, when dentists need dental implants for themselves or their loved ones, they go to an oral surgeon.

Sources:

http://articles.webraydian.com/article9342-Options_for_Replacing_a_Missing_Tooth.html
http://www.mynewsmile.com/dental/nesbit.htm
http://www.doctorspiller.com/partial_dentures.htm
http://www.dental--health.com/faq_flipper.html
http://www.mpllabs.com/Valplast.html