Understanding Dental Pain and Bacterial Infections

Posted on: 21 June 2019

After a person loses a tooth, they will likely need to visit a prosthodontist so that they can have the missing tooth replaced. While these professionals will be able to effectively treat patients with tooth loss, the services prosthodontists provide may not always be well understood by the patients that would benefit from them.

Will A Prosthodontist Only Use Dental Implants?

Dental implants have become one of the most popular options for replacing a tooth that is missing. However, there are some patients that may not want to use dental implants for a variety of reasons. These individuals may assume that there is no reason to visit a prosthodontist if they are wanting to avoid these implants. However, a prosthodontist can use a variety of different tooth replacement options. In particular, patients that either want to avoid implants or may not qualify for them can utilize bridges to provide a natural-looking replacement solution.

Will A Tooth Replacement Procedure Be Painful To Undergo?

It is a common assumption among some people to assume that any tooth replacement procedure will be extremely painful for them to go through. This can often be enough to cause individuals to assume they should simply adjust to life with a missing tooth. However, the pain and discomfort that is experienced during a tooth replacement are often far less intense than what individuals would anticipate. Due to the effectiveness of dental anesthetics, most patients will find that they experience little in terms of discomfort during this procedure. In fact, this discomfort will usually be less intensive than the pain that was experienced when the tooth was removed.

Are There Limitations With How You Can Use Your Replacement Tooth?

After having a replacement tooth placed, patients might be concerned about limitations to protect the replacement tooth. However, any changes to the patient's diet that are needed will be limited. For patients that have opted for dental implants, these restrictions are the most important during the early stages of the placement. This is due to the risk of the implant becoming disturbed as it bonds to the bones in the jaw. Once this bonding process has completed, dental implant patients will find that they can return to their diet as normal. For those that have opted for bridges, it may be necessary to avoid some especially hard foods due to the risk of them damaging the anchors that hold the replacement tooth in place.