05 Jun Do I really need to replace a tooth that’s not visible in the smile?
Patients may be tempted to postpone replacing a tooth at the rear of the jaw because it isn’t visible when you smile. However, there can be significant consequences for doing so, for both your smile’s appearance and your health and well-being.
After experiencing tooth loss, patients should consider a variety of tooth replacement options, especially structurally complete dental implants. This intervention gives patients a number of benefits.
Consequences Of Tooth Loss
When you lose even a single tooth, your smile experiences a cascade of effects from that event. The remaining teeth in the smile will shift out of position to fill in the gap, causing the smile to be misaligned. Not only is a misaligned smile unattractive, but it also subjects the teeth to unusual forces and contact with each other, which can damage the teeth. Replacing the missing tooth can help you avoid this outcome.
Dental implants can help to prevent the consequences of tooth loss.
Additionally, your bone tissue in the affected area of your jaw slowly erodes after you lose a tooth. This can result in a sunken appearance in your lips or cheeks, as well as potentially weakening the attachment between your remaining teeth and the jaw.
Dental Implants: Structurally Complete Tooth Restoration
Dental implants can help to prevent the consequences of tooth loss. These small cylinders are made of titanium, a biocompatible material that bone cells can fuse with. That osseointegration process happens over the course of several months after the oral surgeon places the dental implant. After this process is complete, the implant becomes a fixture in the jaw, essentially serving as an artificial tooth root. Dental implants can then be fitted with a restoration, such as a crown, bridge or denture.
Benefits Of Dental Implant Placement
By replacing the roots of absent teeth, dental implants perform a number of important functions. They prevent the jawbone atrophy described above, and they also allow the patient to continue to chew and speak normally as they did when they had a complete biological smile.
Dental implants are also convenient and comfortable, requiring minimal extra care beyond good oral hygiene. The importance of home oral care and adequate professional care is magnified for dental implant patients, as it is vital to prevent oral diseases that could threaten the attachment between the bone and the implant.
If you have lost a rear molar, you can explore dental implants as a treatment option to stabilize your smile and preserve its appearance and function. Schedule a consultation at Central Oklahoma Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates to learn more about this intervention.