Missing Teeth

If you are missing one or more teeth, you may already be aware of their importance to your looks and health. Your teeth are designed to work together to help you chew, speak and smile. Replacing a missing tooth helps to ensure all your teeth continue to work together.

Issues associated with missing teeth: 

• Missing teeth may affect how you speak
• A missing molar can make it hard to chew
• When a tooth is missing, remaining teeth can shift
• Tooth and/or jaw pain from shifted or misaligned teeth as a result of tooth loss
• Bone loss can occur around the missing tooth. This may cause your remaining time to become loose over time
• Loss of teeth and bone can make your face sag

Replacement teeth should last for years at a time, so it is important to choose a treatment that’s right for you. Depending on your needs, your dentist may suggest one of the following.

• Removable Partial Dentures (link to Dentures page)
• Fixed Bridges (link to Dental Implants page)

Implants (link to Dental Implants page)

Caring for your Denture

Like natural teeth, you must take good care of your dentures. 

• Clean your denture everyday. Take it out of your mouth and rise off. It is best to use a special brush when cleaning your dentures, but you can also use a toothbrush with soft bristles. To clean, wet your denture brush and put denture cleaner on it. You may also use a little bit of liquid dish soap.

• Do not use toothpaste to clean dentures. Some toothpastes have abrasive particles that can damage your denture.
• Keep your denture in water or in a specially made denture soaking solution when you are not wearing it. Remember to rinse your denture well after using denture cleanser before you put it back into your mouth.
• Use a denture cleanser that has the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance.

Keep your denture away from children and pets to prevent it from being damaged.