If you have recently lost one or more teeth, our team could offer a solution to help restore your smile. Not only does tooth loss affect your appearance, but it can quickly complicate your oral health when left untreated. In today’s blog, your Santa Rosa , CA oral and maxillofacial surgeons discuss replacing missing teeth with implant dentistry.
How Missing Teeth Harm Your Smile
Losing a tooth can cause a variety of problems that frustrate you on a daily basis. When one of your front teeth is missing, you may feel embarrassed as others can plainly see the new gap in your smile. Simple tasks such as eating and speaking are impacted as you adjust your jaw to maneuver around the hole. You may find difficulty articulating certain sounds, and avoid certain foods that can harm your socket. Because a lost tooth can misalign your bite, you become susceptible to risks associated with imbalance such as tooth decay and gum disease. Fortunately, you can help prevent or reverse these complications with a dental implant to replace your missing tooth. This appliance offers the cosmetic appearance of a natural tooth while returning the functional benefits of a strong bite.
The Causes Of Tooth Loss
When tooth decay proceeds untreated for a long enough time, it can destroy so much material that it requires an extraction. While a restoration such as a dental filling or crown can repair decay in its earlier stages, it is important to regularly visit the dentist to prevent total loss from decay. Similarly, a tooth infection may lead to tooth loss when a root canal therapy is unsuccessful at removing bacteria within your pulp chamber. Infections are generally the result of decay or physical trauma exposing the insides of your tooth by destroying the enamel.
The most common cause of tooth loss for adults is gum disease. When disease advances into the jaw, it destroys the connection between your gums, teeth, and bone, and you lose the stability of your teeth.
Placing A Dental Implant
To restore your missing tooth, we could insert an implant post directly into your jawbone through the open socket. The biocompatible nature of your post allows oral tissues to fuse with it as you recover from surgery. An abutment at the end of the post allows us to connect a restoration to mimic a tooth’s appearance above your gum line. For individual teeth, we suggest placing a dental crown that we customize to fit your individual bite.
Talk To Your Santa Rosa, CA Oral Surgeon About Replacing Your Missing Teeth
We can replace your missing tooth so you can return to enjoying the simple pleasures in life. If you would like to learn more about placing a lifelike and durable artificial tooth, then contact your Santa Rosa, CA, oral surgeons by calling (707)545-4625.
