Missing Teeth
Have you lost a permanent tooth (or teeth) because of an accident, injury, disease, or extraction?
Missing teeth can be a major reason for people to avoid smiling as this display can be devastating to confidence. When missing teeth are not replaced, there is a lot more at stake than just your social life. A missing tooth can be the precursor to bite irregularities- migration of surrounding teeth, over-eruption of teeth in the opposing jaw, speech impediments, and even tooth decay or periodontal disease. There’s no reason why you should expose yourself to these risks and feel afraid to smile when options exist to remedy it. These include implant placement, bridges, partial or full dentures.
Dental Implants
A dental implant is a small titanium screw that serves as the replacement for the root portion of a missing natural tooth. They can be placed in either the upper or lower jaws to replace single or multiple missing teeth. Due to the biocompatible properties of titanium, a dental implant fuses with the bone and becomes a good anchor for the replacement tooth. Dental implants offer a solid, secure and aesthetic way to replace lost teeth.
In terms of returning full strength and function of the missing tooth, no other procedure comes close. Even more impressive is they’re nearly indistinguishable from your other real teeth. In comparison to their less durable counterparts (dentures and bridges), dental implants present a permanent solution to missing teeth if you are a candidate for the procedure. Candidacy will typically be based on the likelihood of your jaw bone to successfully integrate with the dental implant.
What are the advantages of dental implants over dentures or a dental bridge? Improved appearance: When you lose the entire tooth – crown and root – shrinkage of the jawbone may cause your face to look older. Dental implants once placed can stop the process of bone resorption. A traditional denture or dental bridge doesn’t.
Preserve natural teeth: With traditional dental bridges, teeth adjacent to missing teeth are normally ground down to be used as anchors for a dental bridge. Dental implants often eliminate the need to modify healthy teeth.
Permanent solution: With proper hygiene and maintenance, a dental implant can last you a lifetime.
Will my new teeth look natural?
When dental implants are used in combination with modern restorative dentistry, their appearance, comfort and function are very likely to exceed your expectations. Often they are hard to tell apart from your natural teeth.
Will I be able to chew with the same force and pressure I use with my natural teeth?
Yes. Following a brief adaptation period, chewing capacity is comparable to that of natural teeth.
How much time is required for a dental implant placement?
Today, state-of-the-art guided surgical techniques are convenient alternatives to place dental implants and allow you to have the dental implant placed in a single session using keyhole surgery. This new method has significantly simplified the procedure, for both patients and dentists. The major advantage of the guided surgical technique is the minimal amount of manipulation of the soft tissue due to keyhole surgery. This significantly reduces the healing time and the discomfort normally associated with traditional dental implant surgical techniques.
The conventional process can take from three to six months. First, the dentist places the dental implant, which is left for three to six months to heal and integrate with the jawbone. During the healing period, temporary prosthesis is placed until the permanent crown is put in place.
The procedure chosen depends on several factors, such as your dental health, the number of teeth involved and which teeth are replaced. These factors will also determine the total number of visits to the dentist throughout the treatment period.
Who is a candidate?
Anyone who is missing one or more teeth due to injury, disease or tooth decay may be a candidate for dental implants. The determining factor is the amount of available bone. Your dentist is the best person to evaluate whether dental implants are a viable solution for you.
Is old age a problem?
Age, by itself is not an absolute contraindication for dental implant treatment. Health is more of a determining factor than age. If you’re healthy enough to have a tooth extracted, you’re probably healthy enough to receive dental implants. A careful evaluation of your dental and medical history will be done before commiting for a dental implant treatment.
Is the treatment painful?
It would be too exaggerated to say that implant treatment is completely painless. The treatment also sounds very scary, but in reality it isn’t. With any surgery, some discomfort can be expected. Pain is controlled by anesthesia and patient sedation at the time of surgery and by medications post-operatively. Most patients report that they were much more comfortable following the procedure than they had anticipated.
Advanced dental techniques can add years to the health and beauty of your smile. In many cases the result is so natural that others would be surprised to learn that a tooth replacement procedure was performed.
Your family deserves healthy smiles designed for a lifetime.
Norman Cove's Dentistry 