People often wonder why so many who start losing their teeth soon have few left and need to wear dentures, which can make it hard to speak clearly or chew easily. Of those just 35-44, 69% have already lost at least one tooth. By the time they are 75 or older, 26% have none left. Dentures don’t stop this process because jawbone erosion continues unless replacement teeth are anchored into the bone.

Of course, aside from accidents knocking out teeth, none of this would happen if everyone took very good care of their teeth and gums by brushing for two minutes twice a day, flossing carefully, and had a professional cleaning at least twice a year by a dental hygienist.  But this is a big challenge, since few of us were taught the right way to keep our oral health in perfect shape when we grew up and it is easy to underestimate the effort needed after bad habits have taken their toll. Few of us are even willing to avoid the sweet, sticky foods and beverages that are the most common cause cavities and periodontal (gum) infections.

But the good news is that you can easily replace any missing teeth with a permanent (with proper care) dental implant, which will stop others from falling out. This is due to a little-known process that happens when a single one is lost (whether from an accident or poor dental hygiene). The neighboring teeth start to naturally lean towards the gap to fill it in, which results in all of them starting to come loose and the gradual chain reaction eventually resulting in all of them falling out. This can be stopped if an implant is placed into the jawbone (assuming you have improved your oral hygiene habits).

Assessing whether you can qualify to have a dental implant starts with a digital x-ray (which involves minimal radiation) and a CT Scan, which reveal the health of your jawbone, to be sure there is sufficient bone density to hold an implant (those suffering from advanced osteoporosis or bone loss should opt to have a dental bridge placed where the missing tooth is, to prevent misalignment). Heavy smokers, diabetics, those with autoimmune diseases, and anyone who had had extensive radiation treatment would be at high risk for implant failure.

There are a number of options for those with multiple missing teeth, so set an appointment today to have a thorough examination to determine the best path forward to a new life of better oral and overall health.