Miserable smile for missing teeth

Most of the patients come in to the practice despairing and whining of their missing teeth.  Some lost a tooth, several teeth, even all of their teeth which is very saddening. The most often dental solution for that are dental implants so they won’t be embarrassed to smile or laugh in public to boost their self-confidence.

However, there are other good reasons to replace missing teeth with dental implants. Any remaining teeth can move into any gaps, becoming crooked and more difficult to clean, thus increasing the risk of decay, gum disease and bite issues, furthering the possibility of more loss 

Why Dental Implants?

Dental implant is a high-tech tooth replacement that mimics or copies the tooth structure.  They are the only permanent way to replace a lost teeth. A titanium “root”is carefully and snugly inserted into the bone, used to support a crown, bridge or denture.  It can last a lifetime if properly cared for.  

If you have one or more missing teeth, or one that has decayed and broken down beyond repair, implants are usually the answer.  One of the biggest advantages of an implant is that it restores full chewing power. Most patients can’t tell the difference between their natural teeth and the implant tooth. They can eat with it completely normally and they can brush and floss normally as well.

Dental implants can also prevent bone loss.  Where there is no tooth, the jaw bone in the empty space deteriorates and wither awayIf no implant is placed in the first year of losing a tooth, that bone area loses 25% of its volume, and bone loss continues over the years.  The gap from a missing tooth can cause adjacent teeth to crookedly shift towards the gap. This pulls your teeth out of position and can affect your bite, your ability to chew and your appearance. It can cause interference that makes tooth replacement difficult later. A poor bite can also lead to issues with your TMJ (temporomandibular joint) and may result in pain and headaches.  A missing tooth gap can also act as a trap for food and bacteria and can lead to gum disease.

Dental implant technology has become the state-of-the-art tooth replacement solution because of its advantages over earlier treatments. And, with modern innovations in dentistry, most patients can benefit from them – even those who were formerly told they could not.  Your dentist in Solana Beach offers a free consultation to see if implant treatment is right for you.  Call your Solana Beach dentist or dentist in San Diego for more information.