If you have recently lost one of your teeth, you understand how difficult adjusting to your new normal can be. Behaviors you once took for granted may become rather frustrating. For instance, your voice can change awkwardly. This is because we rely upon all of our teeth to articulate speech. Similarly, you may avoid favorite foods that now harm the open gap in your smile. Without replacement, the remaining teeth can drift toward the open socket, increasing the misalignment of your bite. This can increase the likelihood of developing tooth decay or gum disease. Fortunately, we can offer a prosthodontic solution to return your full smile.
At your Katy, TX dental practice, we create replacement teeth to help patients recover from missing teeth. We can inspect your jaw to determine if you are healthy enough for a dental implant. This versatile titanium post secures directly inside the jawbone to hold a restoration above the gumline. A dental crown may replace a single tooth, while bridges and dentures help recover from more advanced cases of dental loss. The combination of your post and replacement tooth can restore needed stimulation to the bone to help you maintain the shape of your face.
Strategies For Preventing Additional Missing Teeth
Stabilizing your smile after tooth loss benefits from taking steps to prevent losing additional teeth. While certain freak accidents and sporting injuries may not be predictable, other contributing factors to tooth loss may be managed. If you have poor oral hygiene, advanced cases of tooth decay can destroy so much material that a dental filling or crown cannot repair the tooth. When this happens, we suggest tooth extraction to prevent decay from traveling to other teeth in your grin. Stay on top of your dental checkups to ensure that a cavity does not go this far.
The most common factor behind missing teeth, however, is gum disease. Before placing a dental implant, we will require getting any gum infection under control. Regular periodontal maintenance can clear bacteria from below the gum line to keep your tissues healthy.
Restoring Your Missing Tooth
When an X-ray shows enough bone to support an implant, we place a titanium rod into the bone directly through your socket. Over the coming months, your body heals and fuses to the biocompatible post. We then place an abutment at the end of your post which can hold an above-the-gum replacement tooth. Enjoy a dental crown, bridge, or set of dentures based on your unique needs!
Talk To Your Katy, TX, Dentist About Your Options For Prosthodontic Repair!
If you have recently lost one of your teeth, please let us know so we can help restore your smile! Talk to our team about how a dental implant can help by calling us at Lathrop Dental Center in Katy, TX at (832) 437-3849!
