Hypodontia Treatments: How to Fill a Gap in Your Teen's Teeth
While most people's teeth come through in a specific order and in specific positions, some people have missing teeth. They have one or more gaps because the teeth that should erupt simply aren't there. Known as hypodontia, this condition can affect both baby and permanent teeth. While a missing baby tooth isn't so much of a problem, a missing permanent tooth is a more serious issue.
From a dental perspective, gaps affect the teeth around them. Neighbouring teeth don't have the right support to keep them in their correct positions. Gaps in the front teeth also affect the cosmetic appeal of your smile.
If your teen has hypodontia and is missing one or more teeth, then they are likely to need treatment, either to reinforce surrounding teeth or to deal with cosmetic concerns. Here are some of your options for treatment.
Orthodontic solutions
Some gaps in teeth respond well to orthodontic treatments. For example, braces can move teeth around the mouth to fill in gaps or to reduce spaces to more manageable gaps.
If your child is a suitable candidate for this solution, then they may need to see an orthodontist for traditional braces. However, in some cases, your dentist can fit clear braces, such as Invisalign, that can also close gaps.
While braces work for some hypodontia problems, they aren't likely to work if the gap is too big or if your child has multiple gaps in the same part of the mouth. If existing teeth can't cover the gap without moving too much themselves, then your teen needs a different solution.
Replacement teeth solutions
If an orthodontic treatment isn't enough to solve your teen's gap, then your dentist can talk to you about putting a replacement tooth in the space. You have a few options here, depending on the gap itself and the age of your child.
For example, your dentist may recommend any of the following solutions:
Dentures
The simplest way to replace a missing tooth is with a denture. Here, your dentist makes a false tooth to fill the gap. The tooth can attach to neighbouring teeth or, if you opt for a flexible denture, it simply sits in the mouth.
While a denture fills a gap, this may not be the best long-term solution for your teen. They may find it hard to clean the teeth to which a fixed denture attaches and flexible alternatives are sometimes hard to keep in.
Bridges
Bridges provide a more permanent fix. Your dentist makes a tooth to fill the gap. They then fix the tooth to the teeth on either side of the gap to hold it steady.
While a bridge is sturdy and long-lasting, it does affect the teeth that hold the false tooth. Your dentist needs to drill them down before the bridge is set in place. Plus, your dentist may want your child to wait until they have stopped growing before they use bridgework, so this may not be an ideal solution for younger teens.
Implants
Dental implants are typically the most stable way to replace missing teeth. During this process, your dentist inserts a metal post into the bone above the gap. This post then holds a false tooth. An implant is a permanent solution that won't affect the teeth on either side of the gap.
Typically, dentists wait until a patient is 18 and has done most of their growing before they use implants on them. If your child wants an implant but hasn't stopped growing yet, it may be worth using a denture as a short-term fix until they are old enough to have the implant.
Cambridge City Dental offers a full range of dental treatments, including Invisalign braces, dentures, bridges and implants that can fill your child's gap both now and into the future.