Nothing makes you realize just how important your teeth are to your day-to-day life than when one or more go missing. Suddenly, your diet is limited, certain words are difficult to say, and you find yourself thinking twice before smiling. Whether you’re missing a single tooth or all of them, the available technology in dentistry today can help you rebuild your oral health and confidence by replacing your missing teeth.
What Happens if I Do Nothing?
A single missing tooth might be easy to ignore, especially if it can’t really be seen in the smile, but untreated tooth loss can cause all sorts of problems for someone’s oral health over time. The surrounding teeth will gradually shift into the gap, causing them to misalign. The end result? Shifting teeth, a bad bite and pre-mature wear and tear on your remaining teeth. And even more tooth loss! Thankfully, you can prevent this from happening to you by replacing your missing teeth as soon as possible, which will save you both time and money in the long run.
Dental Implants
Before dental implants, patients with missing teeth were only able to get restorations that replaced the part that could be seen. While these helped with aesthetics, they were inherently less stable than natural dental structure. Thankfully, dental implants have provided a solution. They bring back an entire tooth both above and below the gum line, making them extremely durable and secure within the mouth.
Over the past two decades, dental implants have become the gold standard when it comes to tooth replacement. They do something that regular dentures and bridges simply can’t: replace an entire tooth. A small post positioned within the jawbone acts as a new tooth root to support a crown, bridge, or denture, and this creates something that looks, feels, and functions just like natural teeth. Plus, with minimal maintenance, a dental implant can be trusted to last for decades on end, giving a patient countless happy smiles in the process.
Top 3 most frequently asked questions in our office
Q: Am I A Candidate For Dental Implant Treatment?
A: Almost everyone who is missing one or more teeth and in general good health is a candidate for dental implant treatment. Quality and quantity of available bone for implant placement is more often a factor in qualifying for dental implants than medical conditions.
Q: Is there an age limit to get dental implants?
A: Your overall health and your desire to improve the quality of life are much more important things to look at, than your age. We currently have patients from 18 years old to 93. Our then 93 year old patient is now 100 years old and still enjoying his implants.
Q: How Long Will It Take To Complete The Treatment?
A: The entire process can take anywhere between 3-9 months to complete. This depends on the type, and quantity of implants you need, along with the quality of bone in which the implants are placed.
If you have further questions you’d like answered, don’t hesitate to call your dentist or give us a call at (845)406-9310 for a complimentary exam or second opinion.