Tooth loss could mean not only trouble with eating and speaking, but also with the strength of your jaw and your youthful facial features. But to preserve your smile and enjoy a complete one, you need a prosthetic. In today’s blog, your Katy, TX, dentist talks about how we place and restore a dental implant.
Tackling Your Tooth Loss
Missing teeth can mean serious trouble for your smile. The gaps in your smile could lead to misalignment, which not only impacts smile beauty, but increases the risk of cavities, periodontal issues, and more. Missing teeth use your bite balance, which leaves your smile vulnerable to TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). For some, lost teeth complicate how they eat and limit their meal options, and speaking clearly could be a problem too. But the major impact is the loss of mass and density in the jaw, which worsens as the body stops supplying the jaw around missing roots with regular doses of calcium and phosphates. The bone tissue breaks down to cause further tooth loss and even a prematurely aged appearance. But with dental implants, we can prevent all of these complications at once!
Placing New Roots
First, we need to insert the dental implant posts. These biocompatible titanium posts act as new roots. The body resumes the flow of calcium and phosphates to your jaw as they’re accepted as natural roots. This means greater stability, and also the preservation of your facial structure. The new roots can remain in place for decades to come, possibly even a lifetime in some cases. We can use one to support an individual replacement tooth, or several to secure a bridge or even a fixed set of dentures, which never require removal and never slip when you eat or speak.
Crowns and Prosthetics
Next, we address the visible portion of your new tooth or teeth. Once the post bonds with the jaw, a process known as osseointegration, we will add abutments to the posts. These extend above the gum line, and we can attach crowns for individual ones or a prosthetic for several. These are all custom-made from durable and lifelike materials. They will blend with your smile and offer a durable chewing surface too. We can restore health, function, and beauty to your smile!
If you have any questions about how our team treats issues like tooth loss with implant dentistry, then contact our office today to learn more.
Your Katy, TX, Dentist Can Replace Missing Teeth
We would love to help you obtain a complete smile once again. Call Lathrop Dental Center in Katy, TX at 832-437-3849 for more information on treating minor or even severe cases of tooth loss.
