Monday, October 13, 2014

Tooth Implants: Filling in the Missing Teeth

This article will describe all of the negative impacts that having a missing tooth can cause and how a dental implant can fix these problems.

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Having a missing tooth isn’t just a strike against your appearance but also towards your oral health as a whole. There are many different medical reasons to get a missing tooth replaced with a tooth implant.

Some people know all about a full mouth implant such as the all-on-4 surgery, but it is also possible to replace a single tooth.

Why Should You Replace Your Tooth?

Before heading off to their Sun City dentist most people want to know if a dental implant is worth their time. Food intake is one of the first big reasons. Chewing efficiency declines without all of the teeth present to help chew. Food will begin to accumulate in the empty space and can become difficult to keep clean.

If food and plaque begin to build up it increases the risk for periodontal disease. Periodontal or gum disease is how you end up losing all of your other teeth to tooth decay.

Each tooth is responsible for different parts of the facial structure and how everything functions. When a tooth is missing the adjacent teeth will shift to fill the space. A tooth will grow until it reaches the other tooth above it.

Without a tooth above it a tooth can over-erupt and cause structural problems for that part of the jaw as well as create a food trap between the teeth next to it that it has been pulling away from.

If the teeth don’t shift than the cheeks and lips usually will, but it depends on which tooth is lost. If a molar, back tooth, is lost than it can even cause extra wrinkling in the face and other deformities.


Ideally the missing tooth should be replaced immediately to prevent all of these consequences. A dental implant is the most permanent and cost effective solution to tooth loss.

An implant will be placed directly into the jaw bone to be used as an anchor. This part acts as the root of a natural tooth would to hold everything in place. Once that part has healed and becomes imbedded into the jaw bone the abutment is officially attached.

The abutment is just the connecting piece to hold the porcelain cap on top. With all of these pieces it will act just like a natural tooth would. The bone loss will subside and the other teeth won’t shift at all.

This implant can be cared for as a natural tooth would. There are no food restrictions and you can basically get back to your normal life. And of course smiling will be one of your favorite things to do again.

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