If you have teeth missing, it can affect the way you bite, chew, speak and even smile. Your remaining teeth may drift into the gaps or food could become trapped in the spaces putting you more at risk for decay and gum disease.

At Cornelscourt Dental, we offer a wide range of tooth replacement options that will enhance the function and aesthetics of your teeth. If you are interested in any of these treatments, we are happy to discuss your options with you.

Dental Implants have become the gold standard for patients who have missing teeth. The implant itself is like a screw, that is placed in the jaw bone and is used to anchor a crown, bridge or denture. As it is made of a biocompatible material (titanium alloy) it can integrate with the bone over time.

Successful placement of a dental implant depends on the level of bone available, oral hygiene and good overall health. It is generally contraindicated to place implants in patients who smoke or those with uncontrolled diabetes. In some cases, bone grafting may be needed to enhance the level of bone that is available.

At Cornelscourt Dental, Dr Aislinn Machesney places implants from internationally recognised systems including Neodent, Straumann and Nobel Biocare. These have very high success rates. Once placed and allowed to heal, the implant can be used as a foundation for a crown, bridge or denture. This fixed option gives optimal aesthetics and restores the dentition to full function.

A bridge is a fixed method of tooth replacement used when a small number of adjacent teeth are missing. The bridge can be made out of various materials, giving a natural appearance that can be matched to your existing teeth.

In a resin-bonded bridge (shown in image), one or two adjacent teeth are shaved on the back and the suspended tooth is attached by an extension wing to that prepared tooth. This is a more conservative approach, and is the preferred method at Cornelscourt Dental when indicated. In a conventional bridge, one or two teeth either side of the missing tooth are cut down and the bridge is created by crowning the cut down teeth with the missing tooth suspended in-between.

Partial Dentures are mainly used when multiple teeth are missing around the mouth. They are removable structures that go over the gum and replace the lost teeth. The design of your partial denture will depend on which teeth you need to replace and the way in which it is to be secured in place.

A Full Denture will replace all of the natural teeth on either the top or bottom (or both). Every denture is custom-made to give you the most natural look and feel possible.

Dentures are now more comfortable and natural looking than ever before and help to improve the look of your face and jaw if you have many missing teeth. In addition, they are aesthetically more pleasing than leaving a gap where the missing teeth were.