If you lose a tooth, how important is seeking tooth replacement? In today’s blog, we’re talking about why our Astoria, NY, patients should never ignore tooth loss. Instead, they should seek replacement options, such as dental implants, to fill the gaps in their smile.
The Health Risks of Tooth Loss
When we lose our natural teeth, much more than just our appearance suffers. The gaps in your smile may cause surrounding teeth to move from position, leading to misalignment. Dental misalignment often increases the risk of tooth decay and gum disease, as routine care becomes more difficult. Missing teeth also place pressure on your jaw joints, pressure that may mean the onset of TMJ disorder and bruxism. These jaw joint disorders often cause difficulty opening and closing the mouth, as well as headaches and jaw pain. Finally, tooth loss may impact your ability to eat or even make speaking clearly a difficult proposition.
Placing Dental Implants
For long-lasting and natural looking tooth replacement, we may recommend implant dentistry. The dental implant portion is a screw-like device made from titanium. Since titanium is biocompatible, the implant bonds with the jawbone tissue and acts like a new tooth root. Instead of lasting around ten years like a bridge, or five like a denture, dental implants have the potential to last decades with proper care and attention, filling the gap in your smile and preventing the onset of misalignment, the loss of jawbone density, or other complications of tooth loss.
Creating Lifelike Restorations
After we place the dental implant and the placement area heals, we add an abutment to the tooth that holds a dental crown in place. The crown will be created from lifelike ceramic, ensuring a natural appearance. Ceramic is also very strong and contains stain-resistant properties. We want to ensure your new tooth looks natural, providing a solution to tooth loss that also blends seamlessly with your smile.
Do You Have Questions About Replacing Lost Teeth?
For patients with gaps in their smile, we have a custom-made solution. For more information, schedule a consultation with us by calling Jeffrey Leibowitz, DDS, in Astoria, NY, today at 718-728-8320.
