Am I a Candidate for Dental Implants?
Dental implants can change your life, whether you’re missing a tooth or two or wearing dentures and wishing you weren’t. Here’s how to tell whether they’re right for you.
Why You Shouldn't Go Without a Missing Tooth
Maybe you knocked your tooth out in an accident or lost it to infection and decay, but whatever caused the vacancy, you’re not alone. Missing teeth are more common than you might think. By age 65, about 26% of American adults have only eight or fewer natural teeth and 17% have lost all their teeth.
Total tooth loss poses some obvious problems, but even a single missing tooth triggers an avalanche of oral health issues, and we see them daily here at St. Tammany Periodontics & Implants.
Dr. Caesar Sweidan, Dr. Laura Smith and our team have extensive experience treating problems associated with missing teeth. We offer dental implants to restore your teeth and reverse the damage.
Here, we explain the common complications that arise when you ignore a missing tooth.
A missing tooth is a big deal
We don’t have to tell you that a missing tooth messes up your smile, but the consequences are more complicated than mere aesthetics. Here’s what you face when you lose a tooth.
Alignment problems
When all of your teeth are present and accounted for, they fit snugly in line and hold one another in place. When one or more go missing, the others tend to shift and lean into the empty spot. Besides a gaping hole, you end up with crooked teeth that make your smile even wonkier and with misalignments that hinder chewing and speech.
More tooth loss
When your remaining teeth move, their roots loosen and put your healthy teeth at risk for loss.
Bone loss
Bone tissue constantly renews itself, and your jawbone relies on the pressure of everyday chewing to stimulate growth. A vacancy in your teeth robs the jawbone of the pressure it needs to maintain the cell renewal cycle. Over time, your jaw deteriorates unless you replace the tooth.
Pain
Your teeth, jaw, tongue, and lips work harmoniously to chew food properly, so the whole system breaks down if any of them are out of order. Missing and misaligned teeth cause off-kilter biting and chewing, leading to muscle tension, jaw pain, headaches, and jaw joint disorders.
Decay
Gaps in your teeth open the door to bacteria looking to camp out on your gums and seep into vacant spaces. Ignoring your missing tooth increases your risk for gum disease and tooth decay.
Facial deformities
Over time, tooth loss and jaw degradation affect your facial features. Without the supporting structures of healthy teeth and jawbone, your cheeks and chin sink into the low spots, aging your face.
Mood disorders
When you’re not happy with your smile, you’re not happy. For some people, this dissatisfaction can lead to low self-esteem, isolation, and depression.
Why dental implants are the best solution to missing teeth
Dental implants are the gold standard tooth-replacement treatment because they address the above-mentioned issues.
A titanium post anchors into your jawbone and holds a new artificial tooth in place, giving you an undetectable restoration that lasts a lifetime. Not only does it match your other teeth perfectly, but it also:
- Enables you to chew properly
- Saves your jawbone tissue
- Reduces your risk for gum disease and tooth decay
- Keeps your other teeth straight and aligned
- Maintains your profile and facial features
And dental implants also fix your smile and boost your self-confidence.
If you have a missing tooth or two and want to learn more about the many benefits of dental implants, call or visit our website to request an appointment with our experts at St. Tammany Periodontics & Implants in Slidell and Covington, Louisiana.
Find out if you’re a good candidate for this smile-restoring, health-preserving solution.
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