Whether you’ve lost a tooth through an unfortunate accident (such as falling off a bicycle or betting smacked in the face by a basketball) or simply as the result of natural tooth decay or damage, there’s no denying the fact that you’re going to want to cover a missing tooth as soon as you possibly can.
After all, not only does a missing tooth have a seriously negative impact on your overall appearance (which can also diminish your self-confidence). But a missing tooth can also affect how you eat and talk. And even increase the risk for gum disease (because food and germs can become trapped in that gap).
Because we understand the importance of this, we’ve put together this quick article. Listing and briefly explaining some of the more common methods for how to cover a missing tooth. We hope you find this article helpful and informative for how to deal with a missing tooth.
Ways to Cover a Missing Tooth
One way to cover a missing tooth is with a removable partial denture. This is a type of denture that is, as the name implies, removable. So you can wear it during the day and remove it at night when you go to sleep. And covers the part of your mouth where your tooth is missing. While partial dentures are a popular choice for affordability, they can be uncomfortable when you eat or speak (due to the way the partial denture can shift around or be jostled out of position by your jaw movements).
A second way to cover a missing tooth involves another type of temporary denture. This time one that is commonly called a “flipper” for the way it flips in and out of your mouth easily. Flippers are most commonly used when you plan to replace a missing tooth with a true implanted replacement later on. And have great benefits such as being more affordable and lightweight when compared to a full removable partial denture.
Another common option for dealing with a missing tooth is to put in a bridge. This method is dependent upon their being stable and healthy teeth on both sides of the gap. Because creating a bridge involves grinding down those teeth in order to place a fixed solution into your mouth. The notable downside to this method is that healthy teeth need to be damaged in order to proceed. Yet even so it remains a popular method to this day due to its relative affordability in comparison to other dental repair procedures.
Cheapest Way to Cover a Missing Tooth
You can also choose to utilize a temporary tooth replacement kit. These kits are often Do-It-Yourself and involve crafting a temporary tooth. That will fill the gap in your smile (usually out of materials that can be molded using warmth). Some of these temporary DIY replacements, such as this one, are actually very high quality for the price, and can last for up to a year without needing to be replaced.
