Nearly everyone knows that it’s possible to lose one or more teeth as adults. In fact, many people expect it to happen to them at some point in their futures, if it hasn’t already. However, the impression that tooth loss is always inevitable, or that there’s nothing you can do to prevent it and its consequences, is a wrong one. At our Santa Rosa, CA, dental office, preventing and dealing with tooth loss are important aspects of the personalized care we provide to all of our patients.
What actually causes it
The most important thing to know about tooth loss is that there’s always a cause for it. Your healthy, natural teeth are meant to last for life, and with proper care and maintenance, they often can. However, conditions such as extreme dental damage or tooth decay, or gum disease (the leading cause of tooth loss), can lead to severe levels of damage to your teeth and/or oral tissues if not addressed properly. This can lead to the loss of one or more teeth, or the need for tooth extraction in order to restore and save the rest of your smile.
The best chances to prevent it
Once you realize that there are definite causes to adult tooth loss, it becomes clearer how you can take steps to prevent it. For example, keeping your teeth and gums clean and healthy with excellent hygiene and routine preventive care can help you avoid the development of chronic dental issues. This means you’ll have a much lower risk of experiencing tooth loss due to extensive dental damage or disease, and have a better chance at preserving your healthy, natural smile for life. If you do develop an issue, then visiting your dentist regularly will offer the best chance at detecting and treating it before it reaches a more severe stage.
The best ways to address it
If you’ve already experienced tooth loss, then there are two important facts you need to know about it. For one, the loss will significantly raise your risks of losing one or more teeth in the future. This is mainly due to the diminished effect on your jawbone resulting from the loss of your teeth roots. The other thing is that you can mitigate this effect by replacing your lost teeth as soon as possible, preferably with a dental implant-supported restoration. The implant posts will replace your lost teeth roots and address the effects that lead to increased tooth loss risks, such as the weakening of your jawbone over time.
Learn more about tooth loss
From preventing it to helping you rebuild your smile after it, we can help you protect your smile from the harmful consequences of tooth loss. For more information, schedule a consultation by calling Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.
