Bad fall caused the loss of 3 upper front teeth. Both canine teeth are there, but loose. Have had partial plate on sides. Two back molar are present but maybe iffy. What can be done?
- Kathy from Prince Edward Island
Kathy,
I don’t know the condition of your whole mouth, so I can only suggest some possibilities. You’ll have to get a thorough examination by a local dentist to know what to do.
Knowing that you already have a removable partial denture makes me wonder if you have some pre-existing gum disease that has caused the loss of some teeth already. That issue will strongly affect your choices. The loose canine teeth may or may not tighten up depending on the gum disease situation.
You are going to have two basic choices. You can have the additional teeth replaced with a removable appliance – either a partial denture or a complete denture. Or, you can have dental implants.
When you are missing many teeth, you can have a serious problem as your body starts to dissolve away the bone that used to support those teeth. Your jawbone then shrinks over a period of ten or twenty years until there is practically nothing left and you can’t wear a denture any more. This is the main advantage of dental implants over removable teeth.
Also, the more teeth that are missing, the more stress is placed on the remaining teeth, which causes them to deteriorate.
Also, the more teeth that are missing, the less stable your partial denture is, which means less chewing efficiency and often means that you have to restrict your diet.
Hopefully these are some helpful points for you to consider as you have your own dentist examine you and discuss your options. The removable partial denture will be considerably less expensive than the dental implants, but the implants will be much more comfortable and will restore your full chewing efficiency.
Also, it will be smart to check with any medical coverage you have. While most medical insurance excludes dental care, there is often an exception when it is an injury. I don’t know how your Canadian National Health Plan will treat this. In the States, my experience is that most medical insurance will cover dental expenses arising out of an injury like a fall.