Staying on top of your oral health is a top concern if you want to ensure a healthy, vibrant smile for life. While you may be brushing and flossing regularly at home and attending routine preventive care visits, a number of other factors such as diet and substance use can contribute to infection, decay, and even tooth loss. In today’s blog, your Cedar Rapids, IA dentist will address when infection and decay result in tooth loss and how dental implants can complete your smile once more by addressing a number of concerns.
When You are Missing a Tooth
While adult tooth loss is not a common phenomenon, it does occur, and it is best to have a plan to address the concerns that will arise from a missing structure. For instance, when a structure falls out or becomes compromised, it is often due to severe decay and infection that is caused by harmful oral bacteria. These bacteria like to nestle in hard-to-clean areas, and thrive in warm, moist conditions, which makes the gums an ideal spot to call home. While here, they feed off of sugars you consume as well as the food particles that get wedged between teeth. If left untreated, they will continue to grow and thrive, posing a serious threat to the surrounding teeth and increasing your chances of losing even more teeth down the line. To prevent this from happening, your dentist will recommend a dental implant.
A dental implant is a biocompatible titanium post that is inserted strategically into the jaw to act as an artificial tooth root, anchoring the artificial crown restoration securely to the jaw and allowing your new structure to properly absorb the pressure of your bite. Not only does it aid your smile functionally, but cosmetically as well by providing a lifelike appearance and a near seamless finish.
Losing Multiple Teeth
While a single structure is one problem, having multiple adjacent teeth gone can cause a number of concerns. So, does this mean you will need to address each individual one with its own titanium post? Fortunately, your dentist can actually help you manage this concern simply and efficiently with the help of an implant-retained dental bridge. This restoration consists of two or more adjacent crowns bonded together and secured with only one dental implant on either end. For more information, contact our team today.
Restoring a Full Smile
Not only can implants address one or multiple missing teeth, but an entire smile as well with the use of partial or even full dentures! A method known as All-on-Four can be utilized to strategically place only four posts that can secure your entire denture in place without fret. Learn more today.
Learn More
Don’t let the fear of extensive treatment keep your smile at risk of developing major concerns, even after tooth loss. Contact Cedar Dental in Cedar Rapids, IA by calling 319-364-7108 to learn more or schedule your visit today.
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