Still Have a Baby Tooth

I have a lateral incisor that is still a baby tooth. It has always looked weird and I am finally in a position to do something about it. My dentist is suggesting a removable denture. What do you recommend? I am not worried about the finances. I just want to get the right treatment.

Perry

Dear Perry,

I am a little confused about why your dentist is suggesting a removable partial denture for you instead of a dental implant. Is that because you have an impacted adult tooth underneath? Or maybe there is something else is going on that means you are not a good candidate? If neither of those are true, I can only conclude that your current dentist is not adequately trained in dental implants and is therefore steering you another direction. If that is the case, this is not the best dentist for you to be working with. A dentist is ethically obligated to give you all of your options, even if he or she is not the one who’ll be able to do them.

Hands down, the best treatment option is a dental implant. It has a prosthetic tooth root made from titanium that will completely secure a dental crown to it. Because you only have a baby tooth there, and adult teeth are bigger, you may need to open the area up a bit with some orthodontics, but that will depend on the situation. I want you to see a dentist with a significant amount of post doctoral training in dental implants. Look for someone who has graduated from the Dawson Academy or the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies. There are other great programs as well, but these are two of the best. It will be even better if the dentist is able to do the surgery as well. That way there is no chance of miscommunication between two separate practitioners. If you can’t find a dentist who can do that in your area, make certain that it is the dentist who determines the placement and not the oral surgeon.

This blog is brought to you by Nashville Cosmetic Dentist Dr. David Wickness.