Dental Implants Are the Very Best Way to Replace Missing Teeth

As we age, it is more likely that we will begin to have teeth that become loose and fall out or need to be extracted. This can be because of trauma, but is mostly due to the challenges of maintaining optimum oral health. Most of us do not have a perfect set of teeth–they may have come in crooked and never had the best orthodontic treatment to straighten them or they are overcrowded for the size of our mouths, making them hard to clean.

Even those with excellent teeth find themselves forgetful or impatient to spend two minutes after breakfast and lunch carefully brushing in the right way (something many have never been properly taught). Flossing also needs to be done in a certain way to be really effective.

Meantime, we do love those sugary snacks that stick to our teeth so well that we don’t quite get every last bit out. The next thing we know, the dental hygienist tells us we have a periodontal infection and the gums begin pull away from a tooth or several of them. Once it gets a foothold, gum infection can be hard to combat and could even extend into the jawbone, ultimately requiring bone grafts.

Once the teeth lose the support of the surrounding gums, they will eventually fall out unless something is urgently done to reverse the process. When a tooth is missing, the other nearby teeth lean in to fill that gap, which loosens those teeth, as well.

Even among those 35-44, 69% have already lost one tooth, while 26% over 74 no longer have any teeth at all. Full or partial dentures are not the ideal solution because they do not stop the natural decrease in the jawbone that often comes with aging, which is why they have to be readjusted every few years for a better fit. A bridge that holds the adjacent teeth in place, with an artificial tooth replacement in between, isn’t cosmetically ideal, but effective to stop the gradual misalignment.

By far the best replacement for one or more lost teeth would be dental implants. These look like natural teeth and are anchored in the jawbone, stopping the normal loss of jawbone. After a tooth is extracted, it takes 6-12 weeks to heal, then the anchoring screw is inserted and is allowed to heal, when it is attached to the tooth-like crown of the implant. With proper care, an implant can last 10-20 years or more.

But a lot of the durability and functionality of implants depends on using the right material and having a specialist place each one and oversee the healing and outcome. Too many dental practices do not have anyone fully trained, experienced, and knowledgeable, but offer cut-rate service that has a high rate of failure.

If you want to restore your smile, no matter how many teeth you have lost, call Wilshire Smile Studio to set an appointment with our implant specialist for an assessment of your best options.