Before you book dental implants in Gurunanak Colony, Vijayawada, it helps to know how they compare with the alternatives. A missing tooth can be replaced in three main ways, and the right choice depends on your bone, your neighbouring teeth and how you feel about each option. At GIA Clinics on Club Road, Dr Sai Santosh will go through all of them with you.
Why replace a tooth at all
A gap is more than a matter of looks. Over time, neighbouring teeth can tip into the space, the opposite tooth can drift, and chewing shifts to the other side. The jawbone in that spot also tends to shrink once the root is gone.
Implant
A titanium post is placed in the jawbone and topped with a crown.
- Neighbouring teeth are left untouched
- It helps keep the bone in use
- It feels fixed, so you care for it much like a natural tooth
- It needs minor surgery and a few months of healing, usually three to six in all
Bridge
A false tooth is held by crowns on the teeth either side.
- It is fixed and finished within a shorter time, with no surgery
- The neighbouring teeth have to be trimmed
- It makes more sense if those teeth need crowns anyway
Denture
A removable plate carries one or more teeth.
- It is the simplest option and needs no surgery
- It comes out for cleaning and may move while you eat
- If a loose denture bothers you, implants can sometimes secure it
What usually tips the decision
Healthy neighbouring teeth point towards an implant. So does a wish to avoid anything removable. Thin bone, some medical conditions or a preference to avoid surgery may point the other way. Diabetes, smoking and blood-thinning medicines do not always rule out an implant, but they do need to be discussed first.
The doctor at this clinic
Dr Sai Santosh is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon with Nobel Biocare certification. He sees patients at Gurunanak Colony from 12:30 PM to 8:30 PM, and uses Straumann, Nobel Biocare or Adin implants depending on the plan. An OPG X-ray at your first visit shows what your bone allows.
Next step
You do not need to have made up your mind. Call or WhatsApp 092814 93949 and ask for a consultation about your missing tooth.