dental-implant-blogMissing a tooth can affect your oral and general health

Before we even talk about replacing a missing tooth a dentist will want to know is why you have lost the tooth? There are number of reasons why you might lose a tooth. Three of the reasons are:
  1.  Injury
  2.  Decay
  3.  Gum disease
If injury is treated early on it is not likely to cause further tooth loss. However both decay and gum disease (periodontal disease) can, if left untreated, cause further tooth loss.

Before any restorative or cosmetic dentistry is performed gum disease and/or decay will need to be treated

Gum disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss. This is an insidious disease but it is also the most easy to prevent. Gum disease comes in two stages: gingivitis and periodontal disease. Gingivitis is curable but if it progresses to periodontal disease this is not curable. Periodontal disease is a chronic disease that can only be treated and managed. While dental implants are impervious to decay they are not impervious to gum disease. This is because advanced gum disease causes the gum to pull away from the tooth root.

Dental implant procedure

The dental implant process takes between 4 to 6 months. The reason for this is it takes 12 weeks for the dental implant to integrate with the jaw bone. This is a process known as osseointegration and involves the jawbone fusing to the implant. Once the implant fuses it will act as a strong and sturdy tooth root. Once the implant has fused, an abutment will be attached to the implant and then the gum is left to heal. The stage is the placement of the dental crown, bridge or denture. At the completion of your dental implant treatment your whole tooth will have been replaced giving you a whole tooth solution.

Which is why you should get dental implant treatment

No other treatment looks after your oral health as comprehensively. The dental implant looks after your jaw bone health: chewing and biting stimulates the jaw bone promoting jaw bone density. When you lose a tooth there’s nothing there to stimulate the jaw bone and so it gradually starts to shrink. Over time this will give your face a shrunken and aged appearance. If you have inadequate jawbone density you may require a bone graft in order to make the treatment viable. Otherwise a denture or dental bridge can be placed depending on how many teeth need to be replaced. When you visit Curtis R. Couch D.D.S in Thousand Oaks we assess your oral health and will determine what the best option is for your oral health. If dental implants are the treatment for you—and they are rarely not—we will inform you of what you can expect during the treatment. To find out more about dental implants, or to book an appointment, please contact us today.