Tooth Loss Can Have Far-Reaching Effects on Dental Health

Tooth loss can happen to anyone … trauma from an accident; extreme dental decay; untreatable gum disease … no matter how it occurs, missing teeth can impact your daily life in many ways. Tooth replacement can restore your dental health and peace of mind.

Whether one or several teeth are missing, how and what you can eat can be hampered. A soft diet is usually bearable for a few days, but having to look forward to eating this way forever can be depressing; not to mention the vitamin and nutrient-enriched foods we love are very often the fresh fruits and vegetables missing teeth can prevent us from enjoying!

Smiling with spaces visible where teeth belong can be embarrassing. Filling those gaps is a boost to your self-confidence.

Speaking can be altered due to tooth loss. A lisp may be developed or words may be mispronounced due to missing teeth.

When tooth replacement is ignored, remaining teeth may shift resulting in a malocclusion forcing teeth out of alignment. In addition, the bone surrounding missing teeth may begin to disintegrate resulting in a shriveled facial appearance.

There is a solution that restores missing teeth and prevents these maladies from occurring … dental implants are surgically placed titanium devices that are inserted where tooth loss has occurred. Your oral surgeon can place one or several depending on the number of teeth that are missing.

Over the months following placement, the implant(s) will be covered allowing them to heal and for the bone to grow around the implant resulting in a secure base much like the roots of a biological tooth. The dental implant must be cared for diligently with daily brushing and flossing to prevent infection.

Follow up visits to your dental provider will be made to make sure the implant is progressing correctly. When healed, the temporary covering will be removed and a permanent restoration will be placed. One or more teeth will be fabricated to match surrounding natural teeth in size, shape, and color. When completed, it will be impossible to tell which of your teeth were ever missing.

Your ability to eat the foods you love has been restored; you will smile without hesitation, and you will speak normally again. Tooth replacement with dental implants is the most natural restoration you can have following tooth loss. To learn more about your tooth replacement options, contact our skilled team at Stonebriar Facial & Oral Surgery. Call 214-618-3070 today to schedule your visit.