Common causes of missing teeth include gum disease, injury and tooth decay. Along with that, you may be born without certain teeth. This condition is called congenitally missing teeth. This genetic factor causes congenitally missing teeth. Often, you could see it in generations of a family. Approximately 2% to 10% of the population exhibit missing teeth.
If you lost your teeth in an accident or you had them pulled, there are two treatment plans.
- Orthodontic space closure.
- (Orthodontic space opening. (In this case teeth replacement is an essential part of treatment.
Orthodontic space closure
According to the position and situation of missing teeth, there are several methods for treating missing teeth. As orthodontists, we are often confronted with the decision to open or close spaces by orthodontic appliances. Selecting the appropriate orthodontic treatment approach is not as easy as it sounds. It depends on the patient’s existing malocclusion, growth pattern, profile, smile line, the size, shape, color of the canines and more.
Space closure with orthodontics is the best method of treating missing teeth. but if the space is too much, this method won’t be helpful. Instead, there are other methods that can be used which would be mentioned briefly.
Orthodontic space opening
In a scenario with too much space, space closure is simply not possible. In this case the space must be managed with a dental unit. This treatment option can be done by dental implant or crown bridge modalities
Dental implants
If done properly, a dental implant may be a strong, long-term solution for a tooth replacement. This is mainly due as it’s surgically implanted. Dental implants process involve three stages. These three stages may take place over several months. There are many people who choose dental implants because this method is the best solution for replacing teeth.
Treating missing tooth by crown and bridge
Crown and Bridges are not as expensive as implants. Within the community, these two options are popular as a replacement to implants. However, for inserting a bridge the adjacent teeth must be trimmed and this is a side effect that prevents patients from having bridges.
Treating missing teeth by Dentures
Dentures are recommend for patients who have more than one missing tooth. Sometimes a denture consists of numerous artificial teeth. This removable appliance may be all plastic or a mixture of metal and plastic. Patients do not accept this method of treatment by the advent of implants.
before and after image of missing tooth orthodontic treatment
In the picture below, you will see a patient who is congenitally without two maxillary teeth. Over time, the teeth filled the gap, but it had caused a space between the frontal teeth. This patient was treated without a dental Implant method. Orthodontic treatment of this case is called space closure.
For more information, refer to my paper below. I have done this research accompanied by my Italian colleagues. I have presented this paper in the Congress of European Orthodontics and welcomed a lot.
Paper Link:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4385022/