When you suffer from a lost tooth, or if you have lost most of your teeth, then you need a prosthetic that not only fills the gaps in your smile, but also protects the strength of your jawbone and your facial structure. Which is why we offer dental implants and fixed dentures. In today’s blog, your Santa Rosa , CA, oral surgeons talk about placing lifelike and long-lasting dental implants.
The Causes and Dangers of Tooth Loss
When we lose our natural teeth, this could be due to advanced decay or infection, or even the result of injuries or accidents. The most common cause is gum disease. More accurately, this most common cause is the periodontitis stage of the disease, which destroys the tissues that connect your teeth and gums. You then develop loose and missing teeth. When this occurs, the body will respond by suspending the flow of calcium and phosphorus to the jaw around the lost root. This area then loses mass and density, which causes further tooth loss and could cause an aged appearance. Missing teeth are also linked to issues eating properly and speaking clearly, and also the onset of TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). Misalignment could occur as well! But with implant dentistry, we can protect your smile.
Preparing Your Smile
If you have missing teeth and want to obtain a full smile with implant dentistry, then we can help. To obtain, we will examine your smile with digital x-rays, so we can assess the strength of your jaw and make sure there is enough structure to support new dental implants, if not, we can strengthen the weakened portions of the lower jaw with grafting, and the upper jaw with a sinus lift. We may need to extract the last few teeth if you’re receiving dentures, and will conduct a gentle tooth extraction. Our team will also gather detailed images and measurements so we can design the prosthetic or restoration, and choose the best angle and position to insert your dental implant posts.
Individual Dental Implants
Our team will start by inserting the post or post into the jaw. Made from titanium, the biocompatible cylinders look like screws and are inserted at an angle and position to stimulate the growth of jawbone structure and prevent the breakdown in the jaw. The body accepts it as new roots! Once the placement area heals, we will connect an abutment to the post that extends above the gum line. This allows us to connect a crown, which completes an individual dental implant and offers a lifelike appearance that matches the rest of the smile. While we can address individual missing teeth, we can also use multiple dental implants to secure a prosthetic, and take on more advanced cases too!
All-On-Four
With All-On-Four, we only need four specifically placed posts per arch to support a complete set of dentures. These posts require less structure to support them. So this means we could secure implant dentures even if you have weakened jawbones, and you may not need to undergo treatment with jawbone grafting or a sinus lift. In addition, the entire process can be completed in a single day! Which means you will leave with a complete smile, as we insert the posts and connect a temporary denture to them. You then return so we can swap the temporary for the final prosthetics, and you never go without a complete smile. We even complete prosthetics in the same visit as needed!
Preserving Your New Smile
To help protect your new teeth, be sure you avoid tobacco products and brush and floss to remove stray food and drinks particles and lower the risk of issues like periodontal disease, which can impact your dental implants. We will check in periodically to make sure your new teeth are strong and remaining in place. At home, you should also enjoy a diet lower in sugar and starch to further protect your smile and any remaining natural teeth.
If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat concerns like missing teeth with dental implants, or if you have lost teeth and want a full smile again, then contact our team right away. Now is also a great time to see us, as you can use your remaining 2023 dental insurance benefits before they expire at the end of December.
Schedule a Visit For Implant Dental Care
Our team wants to help you obtain a complete smile, whether you have minor or severe tooth loss! If you would like to learn more about replacing missing teeth with durable and long-lasting replacement, then contact your Santa Rosa, CA, oral surgeons by calling (707)545-4625.
