Missing Teeth? Dental Implants Could Be Your Answer
If you have missing teeth, consider dental implants. Natural looking, feeling, and sturdy, the high success rate speaks for itself. Here’s what you should know.
For many people, having missing teeth is a reality that they have to live with from day to day.
Studies have shown that our smile is what most people say they notice during your first impression. So, for those of us who like to smile, worrying about missing teeth should not be something we have to live with!
With Regal Dentristy behind you, there is no reason for missing teeth to hinder your self-confidence and ability to smile.
Our well-trained team is able to consult you on your individual needs and talk about what option is best for you when it comes to restoring your smile.
We love keeping you up to date on the latest topics when it comes to dentistry, so make our blog your next stop! When the time comes to restore your missing teeth, reach out to us to get started!
Because having missing teeth is a problem for at least 178 million Americans, figuring out the best way to restore your smile and dental health is an important step.
To help you figure out if dental implants could be the answer to your missing teeth, keep reading our helpful guide.
Problems associated with missing teeth
There are plenty of reasons why a person could be missing their teeth. However, some of the most common causes of missing teeth are gum disease and its associated consequences.
Once your gums begin receding as a result of gum disease, your teeth are prone to attack by plaque and tartar. Eventually, with gum recession, your teeth will lose their support system and are likely to come out.
Other causes, like accidents, can leave you in a similar situation.
If you have a missing tooth or many missing teeth (35 million Americans have no teeth!), you may begin to experience several problems as a result.
Lessened ability to chew
Many of us take the ability to chew our food for granted, but if you have missing teeth, you will notice that your ability to chew is lessened.
When you are missing teeth, it’s possible for food to drift into toothless areas, leading you to swallow more unchewed food.
By swallowing unchewed food, you are actually putting a strain on your digestive system and missing out on the nutrients within those chunks!
Facial structure changes
Teeth are a huge part of the reason why our faces look the way they do!
Our cheeks are held in place by our teeth, as are our lips. When someone is missing teeth, the body has a tendency to allow cheeks and links to sink into the spaces and cause disfigurement.
The use of dental implants, however, prevents this as the implants serve as a great support system for the rest of your face. All in all, dental implants are like your natural teeth and can protect your dental health in many ways.
Other teeth become weakened
When you have missing teeth, a major problem that can occur is the damage of your other teeth.
Think of it this way: your mouth is a balanced system. Each tooth does its job and they work together in harmony. When one tooth is missing, the others will have to pick up that load.
This can lead to your remaining teeth getting worn down faster or similar damage that caused your other tooth loss to happen to your other teeth at a faster pace.
Bone loss
Our teeth are an attachment to our jaw bone. Typically, the same diseases that caused your tooth loss can cause problems with your jawbone once the teeth are gone. Within the first year of a tooth missing, your jawbone can experience a 25% loss. As you age, this problem only intensifies without the use of restorative methods like dental implants.
TMJ
Your joints are also affected by missing teeth!
When your teeth are misaligned or completely missing, your jaw joint compensates for this. You may notice your bite shifting as your remaining teeth align in new ways, altering the way your jaw should be opening and closing.
Over time, this causes pain and locking within your jaw. You can also experience dizziness, back pain, headaches, and earaches as a result of TMJ!
Dental implants could be your solution
When you have missing teeth, dental implants should be something you consider. These long-lasting implants have over a 90% success rate and are unlikely to be rejected from your body.
They are stronger than natural teeth and offer the benefits of having teeth, such as keeping your face and jaw aligned. As an added perk, you’ll have a gorgeous smile!
Types of dental implants
There are currently three types of dental implants available, each with their own specific purposes.
Endosteal implants are currently the most common. They are implants made of surgical-grade metals that are anchored directly into your jawbone. The result with these implants is natural looking and sturdy teeth without the problems associated with your natural teeth or tooth loss.
If you are missing teeth, however, your jawbone may not be able to support implants directly because of bone loss. This is when the other types of implants can be a good option.
Subperiosteal implants require an anchor to your bone, which the implants are then attached to. Though more invasive, this type of implant enables patients with bone loss to secure their facial and remaining bone structure (in addition to getting their smile back).
Transosteal implants are performed less frequently due to their invasive nature and healing time. However, they require the foundation to penetrate the entire jaw bone, from underneath your chin, to provide an anchor for the implants.
Missing just a few teeth?
Though these procedures may seem like a lot, dental implants are absolutely worth it for people who have a lot of missing teeth or just one or two!
Healing period
Depending on how much work you need, the time it takes to complete the process of dental implants can span many months. However, your dental team will ensure that you are comfortable and pain-free for the duration of the process!
To learn more, contact us and we’d be glad to consult with you about your options.