Dental implants are often the best solution to tooth loss, but they’re not the only way to approach tooth loss and tooth damage. Often people choose other options before they decide on dental implants in Irvine. How do you know when it’s time to upgrade your previous dental work?
Here’re some considerations when making these decisions, though the best way to make the decision is to consult with an Irvine implant dentist at Rice Dentistry.
Time to Replace Root Canaled Tooth with Dental Implants
Root canal therapy is the common solution to an infected tooth. A dentist removes the infected living part of the tooth and replaces it with inert material. Then the dentist places a dental crown to protect the tooth from pressure and seal out further infection.
Root canal therapy has a good success rate, and the results can be long-lasting. If the procedure works well, you might never want to replace a root canaled tooth with a dental implant. The dental crown on top of a root canaled tooth might fail after 10-15 years, but if the tooth underneath remains strong, you might simply replace the old crown with a new one that might last a further 10-15 years.
However, there are some situations where you might want to upgrade from a root-canaled tooth to dental implants. You might want to replace your root-canaled tooth if the root canal therapy fails. This could mean that infection returns to the tooth. It might also mean that the supporting tooth cracks, so it isn’t structurally sound anymore. Finally, it might be that periodontal infection around the tooth causes it to become loose or need extraction.
In these situations, it might be a good idea to extract the root-canaled tooth and replace it with a dental implant in Irvine.
Time to Replace Dental Bridge with Dental Implants
A dental bridge is a traditional method for replacing a lost tooth with a fully fixed restoration. Instead of being attached directly to the bone, the replacement tooth is attached to dental crowns, which attach to neighboring teeth, which are themselves attached to the bone.
This approach can have long-lasting functional results. The bridge can look natural and can let you bite and chew normally. After 10-15 years, the bridge might fail. The bridge could break. One of the supporting teeth could fail: break off, come out, or get infected. Bridges can also have a cosmetic failure: you might lose bone and gums under the bridge, creating an unattractive space in your smile.
If the bridge breaks or experiences a cosmetic problem, you might replace the bridge. You will only want to replace the bridge with a new bridge if the supporting teeth are still healthy.
If you have lost one or more of the supporting teeth, or if those teeth are failing, it’s time to replace the dental bridge with one or more dental implants. You might also choose to replace a dental bridge with a dental implant in Irvine if you are unhappy with the look, function, or maintenance requirements of your dental bridge.
Time to Replace Removable Dentures with Dental Implants
Removable dentures are an outdated method for replacing teeth. Dentures have one or more replacement teeth set in a plastic, rubber, or metal base that fits in your mouth over your gums. Partial dentures replace one or more teeth but replace less than a full arch of teeth, utilizing your natural teeth for support and stability. Full dentures replace all the teeth in one arch. They rest on your gums, relying simply on suction and fit for stability.
Removable dentures force you to accept poor function, poor comfort, and often an unattractive appearance. They also last about half as long as dental bridges or dental crowns on implants.
You might have to reline your full dentures as frequently as every six months, and you might have to replace the dentures every 4-8 years. In the meantime, you might experience denture pain and have limited ability to chew. It is not uncommon for people to decide on dentures, then decide they want to upgrade to dental implants in Irvine after a few years or even months. With All-on-X we can replace your old dentures with long-lasting implant-supported dental bridges.
Upgrade to Dental Implants in Irvine
If you are tired of your old dental work that has failed or never lived up to your expectations, let Rice Dentistry help. Our Irvine implant dentists offer specialist care for the implant placement and cosmetic dentistry expertise for the crown or bridge on top of implants. We have been serving the Irvine community since 1984–approaching 40 years of providing high-quality dental care in Orange County.
To learn how we can help you upgrade to dental implants, please call (949) 551-5902 or use our online form to request an appointment at Rice Dentistry in East Irvine near Discovery Park.
