Tooth Loss Can Have Far-Reaching Effects on Your Dental Health

The loss of one or more teeth due to an accident, tooth decay, or dental disease is never easy to accept. Your implant dentist can explain how this loss can be remedied, and allow you to return to eating the foods you love, speak with confidence, and smile without hesitation.

With tooth loss, the patient is faced with multiple concerns:

1. Appearance – If the tooth is located in the “smile line”, every time you open your mouth to eat, speak or smile, you think about how you must look to others.
2. Bone loss – The bone in gum tissue where tooth loss has occurred will start to deteriorate allowing the gum tissue to shrink providing a shriveled appearance.
3. Remaining teeth will eventually start to shift toward the open space creating the potential for a malocclusion. This is where the upper teeth no longer align with the bottom teeth, which can lead to bite problems.
4. Chewing difficulties – Tooth loss usually results in steadily chewing where the most teeth are present. Diets become restricted, which can impact oral as well as overall health.
5. Discomfort from chewing modifications can become an issue for the jaw, neck, ears or head.

Dental implants offer an ideal solution. Surgically placed in gum tissue, the implant fuses to existing bone through a process called osseointegration. Eventually the implant will be firmly entrenched, and provide the strength and support to the final restoration designed to cover it. [pullquote]Your implant dentist can explain how this loss can be remedied, and allow you to return to eating the foods you love, speak with confidence, and smile without hesitation.[/pullquote]

The implant will act as the root of the tooth, while the crown or bridge that covers it appears just like the surrounding teeth. The implant dentist will fabricate the restoration to match the color, size and contour making the implant blend perfectly.

Commitment to the implant procedure requires vigilance with keeping the implant area clean and healthy to prevent infection, the leading cause of implant failure.

Tobacco use is highly discouraged, as this also contributes to implant difficulties.

The reward is obvious when you see the results. There are no chewing difficulties or diet restrictions. There are no special care practices … daily brushing and flossing, and possibly rinsing with an anti-bacterial rinse should keep all your teeth healthy.

Seeing your dentist twice per year for a standard cleaning and dental exam should keep you and your implants smiling brightly for a lifetime.

To learn more about your tooth replacement options, contact the office of Drs. Bonner & Huriega at 210-616-0858 and schedule your professional consultation today.