Tooth Replacement Options
Your teeth affect your whole body. When they’re healthy, you’re healthier too. A missing tooth can affect your bite, speech, and eating choices. As you rely more on your remaining teeth, you increase the chance they will wear out prematurely, sustain damage, or be susceptible to losing them completely. You may also experience headaches and/or jaw pain.
Luckily, our practice offers many excellent options to replace your missing teeth — from temporary to long-lasting solutions. During your consultation with one of our oral surgeons, your personal preferences, the current condition of your oral health, and other factors will all be carefully considered to determine the right tooth restoration option for you. You can learn about many of the tooth replacement options below.
If you have questions or are ready to schedule your consultation with Dr. N. Morio, Dr. W. Morio, or Dr. Frerichs, please contact our Hiawatha, IA, office. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss your best options for restoring your smile!
Dental Implants
Dental implants are the most comfortable and permanent solution for restoring missing or failing teeth. They form a strong foundation for your replacement teeth and keep the jaw healthy and strong by stimulating the bone in your jaw just like natural teeth. Implants can support individual replacement teeth or secure specialized dentures to replace multiple teeth or even an entire arch of teeth. Unlike bridges, no healthy teeth are damaged to secure the restoration, and implants can last a lifetime if proper care is taken. Implant-supported replacement teeth are an extremely lifelike, stable, and comfortable solution for almost any patient.
We perform dental implant placement in our office. Read our page on Dental Implants to learn more.
Full-Arch Replacement/Teeth-in-a-Day™
If you require replacements for an entire upper or lower arch of teeth, you may be a candidate for a full-arch replacement using a revolutionary treatment called Teeth-in-a-Day. During your consultation with one of our experienced oral surgeons, you and your doctor will decide if Teeth-in-a-Day is the right option for you.
Why should I choose Teeth-in-a-Day?
Full-arch restoration using the Teeth-in-a-Day treatment is a truly life-changing alternative to traditional removable dentures. This treatment replaces a full upper or lower arch of teeth in one procedure and is, therefore, more cost-effective and efficient than using multiple individual implants — yet patients still benefit from the permanency and health benefits of having individual dental implants. And with a significantly reduced healing time, Teeth-in-a-Day allows you to enjoy your new smile much faster.
This dental implant-based surgery is a favorite for many reasons:
- Less post-surgical discomfort, swelling, and a reduced healing time
- Permanent, non-removable replacement for multiple teeth
- Fully functional new teeth in one procedure
- Prevents bone loss and preserves your oral health
Teeth-in-a-Day offers a full-arch of new teeth that are custom designed for your mouth and will look and function just like natural teeth. In most cases, you will receive a temporary set of teeth the day of your procedure, and while you heal, your final set will be customized by your restorative dentist.
We perform the Teeth-in-a-Day procedure in our office. You can learn more about this tooth replacement option on our Teeth-in-a-Day page.
Types of Anesthesia
Several methods of anesthesia are available at our practice:
Bridges
A bridge is a common solution for replacing one or more teeth that are next to each other. Bridges are cemented into position on top of the teeth that are next to the area of tooth loss. For this tooth restoration option, your dentist will reshape or grind down the teeth surrounding your missing teeth to prepare for the bridge. Your dentist will place the bridge over the re-shaped teeth. This is a cost-effective way to restore missing teeth, but the bridge will require replacement after several years of wear.
Full or Partial Dentures
Dentures are the most common solution for people missing all of their teeth in one or both jaws. Your family dentist will fit you with traditional dentures, and the process is generally quick and easy. If your dentist discovers that your mouth/jaw is not a good size or shape to accommodate a denture comfortably or securely, you may be referred to a trusted oral surgeon for a procedure called pre-prosthetic surgery to prepare your mouth for a better-fitting denture. This is a type of oral surgery that reshapes the bony ridge under your gums so that your dentures are more comfortable and stay in place when you eat and smile.
Our practice offers pre-prosthetic surgery procedures. You can learn more about this treatment on our Pre-Prosthetic Surgery page.
Flipper/Metal Partial
A flipper is a temporary tooth replacement solution that consists of a plastic tooth with a plastic retainer. A metal partial is a removable partial denture made of metal and plastic.
Patient Testimonials
Hear from our patients about their experiences with Tooth Replacement Options and other procedures.
"My name is Aaron from Anamosa, Iowa. I came to Dr. Morio for full-arch — six implants on the top and six on the bottom. For as major of a surgery as it is, it was really no sweat. I went to work the next day. The teeth I have now are actually better than my original set, even if they were in good condition. I can talk, I can chew, I eat anything I want. The staff here at Dr. Morio's was very professional. They get you everything you need; they make sure you're comfortable. Dr. Morio is one of the nicest surgeons I guess I've ever met. I would absolutely recommend Dr. Morio. It was a great experience."
"Hi, my name’s Ashley, and I’m from Cedar Rapids. I came to the Dental Implant & Oral Surgery Specialists of Iowa to get my teeth removed. Right as I walked into the door, it was a very comforting experience and everyone was just super friendly. The doctor here is just awesome. He is [a] very nice guy, he’s very friendly, and easy to work with. The staff answered all my questions and they put my mind at ease. It was a very successful procedure. The recovery was very easy. I am very glad I chose this place to get my tooth extracted. They did such an amazing job and I’ve gotten an amazing smile."
"Hi, my name is Austin and I am from Cedar Rapids. I came to Dental Implant and Oral Surgery Specialists of Iowa for tooth extraction. When I first walked into the Dental Implant and Oral Surgery Specialists of Iowa, I felt very comfortable. Everybody here had a smile on their face, and I felt welcomed the entire way. The doctor I worked with was a super nice guy, very easy to get along with. He made sure to get to know me as a person as well. He made me feel very calm the entire time, which was very nice. It was a successful procedure and my recovery was great, and I continue to feel awesome even right now as well, which is great. If you live in Hiawatha and need oral surgery, I absolutely recommend the team here."
"Hi, my name is Avery and I'm from Robins, and I came to the Dental Implant & Oral Surgery Specialists of Iowa to get my wisdom teeth removed. Coming into this practice, I was greeted with a smile. Everybody here was really sweet and caring, and they took all the extra steps to make me feel right at home. The doctor made me feel very comfortable and happy. He's such a good person. It was a successful procedure and the recovery went just as expected. I am thrilled that I chose this practice to get my wisdom teeth removed. If you live in Iowa City and need your wisdom teeth removed, I highly recommend the team here."
"Hi, my name is Barb, I’m from Hiawatha, and I came to Dental Implant & Oral Surgery Specialists of Iowa for a full-arch replacement. Everybody here made me feel like I was part of a family. They welcomed me with open arms. The doctor here was amazing. I just felt so comfortable and at ease with the way he spoke with me, and I had a smile on my face the whole time we were talking. My procedure went very well, it was very successful, and the recovery was everything they told me it would be. I was a Smile Again recipient, and I have never won anything in my life and it was just the most amazing moment and it’s been an amazing experience. This was a life-changing experience thanks to the team at Dental Implant & Oral Surgery Specialists of Iowa."
"Hi, my name is Ben and I’m from Cedar Rapids, and I came here to get some baby teeth extracted. There are so many things to do when you’re waiting in the waiting room. You can watch TV and there’s very comfy couches you can sit on. Everybody here is just great, the staff is friendly and the doctor is awesome. The doctor here is very nice and he makes me feel very welcome here. He really knows his stuff. The procedure was a success and I was up and running in no time. Now that I’ve had these extractions, I can eat all the pizza I want, and that’s okay with me. I'm going to have an amazing smile and it’s all thanks to the Dental Implant & Oral Surgery Specialists of Iowa."
"My name's Brenda. I'm from Marion, Iowa, and I had bone grafts, extractions, and implants. Well, the procedure and the surgery went absolutely fabulous, and I left here with absolutely no pain. The staff is professional. They are very welcoming when you come in. They just make you feel a part of the team. Dr. Morio is the best and made me feel so absolutely comfortable with having the procedure and giving me all the details I needed in order to have the procedures that he was going to perform. Out of 5 stars, I would give Dr. Morio 10. I've got a great smile and great teeth. It's perfection here."
"I'm Brooke, and I live in Lisbon, Iowa, and I got my wisdom teeth extracted by Dr. Morio. The surgery went super fast and well, and everything just went nice and smooth. The staff absolutely was amazing and did everything to make me feel at home and comfortable, and I felt safe as soon as I walked in the door. Dr. Morio is an amazing doctor. Everything was quick, easy, and painless, and I just felt super comfortable the entire time. I would give Dr. Morio five out of five stars. For my friends in Iowa City and Hiawatha, I highly recommend Dr. Morio."
"Hi, my name is Bruce and I’m from Anamosa. I came to the Dental Implant & Oral Surgery Specialists of Iowa to get extractions, bone graft, and implants. Everybody here was awesome. They made me feel at home, comfortable. I felt very well taken care of. The doctor is great, I mean he sat and talked with me. He made sure I was at ease and what’s going to happen. He showed me what was going to happen before it even took place, and with information like that, that made me feel really comfortable. Being able to smile again is truly an amazing experience. I coach a lot of sports, so a lot of people see, you know, me and the public align and I’ve got a lot of compliments from them. I’m happy that I chose this practice to get my procedure done."
Pre-Prosthetic Surgery in Hiawatha, IA
If your dentures are uncomfortable or ill-fitting, or you are due to receive dentures and have been recommended for pre-prosthetic surgery, please give Dental Implant & Oral Surgery Specialists of Iowa a call. Our oral surgeons will be pleased to meet with you to discuss your case during a consultation. If you are investigating other options, such as dental implants or other tooth replacement options, we are happy to discuss these options with you as well at that time.