If you are missing one tooth here are a few options:
Option #1: DENTAL IMPLANT
Dental Implants are by FAR the best option when thinking about replacing missing teeth.
Option #2: DENTAL BRIDGE
Here is a link that will explain all you need to know about dental bridges
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/dental-health-bridges#1
I recommend dental bridges as a second best option when the Implant option is just not possible to attain.
Why Should you prefer Dental Implants over dental bridges?
Bridges have on an average a lifespan of 10-15 years maximum.. I know what you are thinking…. I have a bridge and it lasted more than 15 years. You are one of the the few lucky ones that do not have or are not aware of issues bridges can have.
Here are some of the problems with bridges:
1. Healthy teeth sometimes are sacrificed in the process of a dental bridge procedure.
If you have healthy teeth on either side of the space where you are missing a tooth in order to fit a dental bridge both of those teeth need to be reduced by the dentist circumferentially and that predisposes that tooth to future possible root canals and eventually the possibility of more tooth loss.
2. Increased possibility of bone loss around the teeth supporting the bridge
Since dental bridges are basically multiple crowns inked together, cleaning around bridges becomes an ordeal and most people just cannot do a very good job cleaning around the bridge area and so bacteria that is in plaque that is lingering on these bridges start breaking down the bone around the teeth supporting the bridge or create cavities under the bridge (usually these cavities start where the crowns of the teeth supporting the bridge meet the root) Once the bacteria is breaking down either the bone around those teeth or the roots as in the case of cavities the entire bridge needs to be replaced or in case of bone loss around those teeth, the teeth supporting the bridge might have to be removed causing more tooth loss then with what we initially started with.
3. Increased possibility of dental cavities (caries) on the roots of the teeth supporting the bridge
This was discussed in the previous paragraph.
4. Further bone loss in the space where the tooth is missing.
Just like with anything in the body, if the body senses that there is not pressure on the bone in the area where the tooth is missing the body will not continue to build or preserve bone but rather BONE LOSS will gradually occur in that space, so from that perspective making it a lot more complex and speedy process if an implant where to be done at a later time.
