When Should Implant Dentistry Be Avoided?

By Author: Rene Piedra
Total Articles: 3764
Comment this article

When you are happy with the condition of your teeth, you take laughing and smiling for granted. When you are missing one or more of your teeth, you will find yourself becoming shy about your smile, and may limit your laughing and smiling, which certainly can take the satisfaction out of life!

"Missing teeth can cause more than just aesthetic problems" says Dr. Rene Piedra, a cosmetic dentist. "Missing teeth can head to many different dental problems that can be even more invasive and expensive to correct."

Shoult Missing Teeth be Filled?

Dr. Rene Piedra recommends replacing missing teeth as soon as possible. Not only are missing teeth aesthetically displeasing, large seperations in your smile are a way of creating ground for diseases. The longer you go without replacing missing teeth, there is an increased chance for infections.

Luckily, theres an easy and effective way to replace missing teeth. This usually involves dental implants. Dental implants are an artificial tooth root that is put into your jawbone. Dental implants are permanent. The implant is used to anchor the artificial teeth, called ...
... a pontic. A pontic is custom-created just for you, to match the size, shape, and color of your existing teeth.

There are two different kinds of implants, a "root form" implant and a "plate form" implant. They both are put under your gum line. Which type of implant you get depends on the structure and health of your gums and jawbone. For weaker, typically older, jawbones, the plate form implant is used, since it produces a stronger foundation.

Implanting the Implant

Inserting the implant into the gum is a surgical procedure. A small cut is made in the gum line, and the implant is placed either in or on the jawbone, depending on the type of implant you are getting. The incision is then closed and sutured. Dental implants must fuse to the jawbone through a process called osseointegration.

Osseointegration takes anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to finish. Afterwards, the dental implant will be stiffly anchored in place, and the pontic can then be attached. The pontic is screwed into the implant during a second appointment.

Once the pontic is set in your mouth, you will treat this just as you would your natural tooth. With proper brushing and flossing, your new, artificial tooth will last a lifetime!