As 2016 comes to a close, many people start to take stock of what they’ve achieved this year or what they could do better. For some patients, this could mean taking better care of their smiles for this coming year. Maybe they’ve noticed some stubborn coffee stains on their teeth, or perhaps a cracked, or chipped tooth. In other cases, a patient may have lost a tooth entirely. It’s not too late to make a new resolution for 2017: aim for dental implants to restore your smile.
What Happens When You Lose A Tooth?
When a tooth is lost, it leaves a very obvious gap in your smile. However, that’s not the only consequence of this condition.
It not only leaves your mouth susceptible to oral diseases but it also can’t support the neighboring teeth on either side of this gap. As patients continue to chew with a missing tooth, the balance of pressure in their bite can start to shift, making it more difficult to eat confidently. This can cause your other teeth to shift out of place as they try to make up for the changes. As a result, you may-find more teeth begin to loosen. In addition, the area of the jawbone where the gap is may start to deteriorate, reducing in volume and density without the constant stimulation of a tooth in that area.
However, there are emotional consequences as well. Patients who lose a tooth may start to feel less confident in their appearance or ability to speak clearly in social settings. Also, as the jawbone deteriorates, the patient’s facial appearance may start to change. The cheeks tend to hollow out, the chin rises as the bone reduces, and more wrinkles may start to appear. We have had patients tell us how much older they look, all from the result of a missing tooth.
For these reasons, we can’t recommend dental implants enough! Even better, the sooner you receive treatment after tooth loss, the more you’ll save yourself from expensive and extensive treatments in the future. But you may be asking yourself, why should I make the investment in dental implants?
The Advantages Of Dental Implants
- Durability: Due to the materials that dental implants are made of, they are remarkably durable, just like your natural teeth. The combination of titanium and porcelain makes them ideal for biting and chewing your food comfortably.
- Longevity: Since dental implants are permanently placed in the mouth, they don’t undergo the same wear and tear that a denture or bridge would go through. Instead, implants tend to have a longer lifespan, so long as they’re given proper care and maintenance.
- Natural Appearance: We not only strive to make sure that your dental implant fits comfortably, but also looks natural with its topping crown.
- Osseointegration: This fusion process is unique to titanium devices, both in the dental and medical fields. It’s when the titanium material triggers the bone around it to regenerate, securing the implant permanently in place. As dental implants are constructed with titanium, this fusion process is essential to the success of an implant placement.
Keep Your New Year’s Resolution
The hardest part about making a New Year’s resolution is keeping it. When it comes to a patient’s oral health, it can also be easy to sweep it under the rug and neglect caring for your teeth just for the holidays. But prolonging something as serious as tooth loss will only spell trouble for you in the long run.
If your resolution was to fix your smile this year, then look no further than the St Louis County Dental Partnership for a solution. Dr. Brace and our team offer superb quality implants and mini implants that can help fill the gaps in your smile to restore your oral health.
Make Your Oral Health Your New Priority
It’s not just dental implants that can improve your New Year’s spirit either. We believe that having a good start with some oral hygiene habits can change the game for your smile. Just follow these simple tips:
- Brush and floss at least twice a day: This will ensure that disease-causing bacteria will be removed while keeping acidic waste off your teeth.
- Visit your dentist every six months: While oral care at home is essential, it’s also important to also visit your dentist for regular hygiene cleanings. These in-depth cleanings can clear disease, and it’s also a great way for your dentist to keep track of any changes in your oral health.
Contact Us
We are here and ready to help you keep track of your New Year’s resolution! We offer services to help clean up and freshen your smile, whether it’s with dental implants or cosmetic dentistry treatments. Contact us today to learn more about how you can qualify for these treatments and to schedule a consultation.