Replicating the natural function and appearance of your lost teeth can be very difficult to accomplish.  Historically, dentures or bridge restorations would be used as replacements, but with limited results.  Dental implants, however, are natural-looking replacements for missing teeth that also provide the same function as your natural tooth root. They have also been used to anchor these other types of restorations for greater success and patient satisfaction.

A More Natural Approach

A dental implant is a small, sturdy, titanium post that acts as the root structure would for a natural tooth. A dental implant is placed into your upper or lower jaw bone. After the bone has grown around the implant, implants can hold a crown, bridge or over-denture just like roots hold natural teeth in place. Implants are very durable and can last a lifetime. They require the same maintenance as natural teeth; this includes brushing, flossing and regular dental check-ups.

A single tooth or a full arch of teeth which have been lost due to injury or disease can be replaced with dental implants. Titanium metal is used because of its compatibility with bone and oral tissues.

Dental Implant History

Dental Implants were developed in 1952, in a laboratory in the university town of Lund, Sweden by Professor Per-Ingvar Brånemark, who had a “lucky” accident during bone grafting research. Much to his dismay, Dr. Brånemark discovered that it was impossible to recover any of the bone-anchored titanium microscopes he was using. The titanium plate had apparently bonded irreversibly to living bone tissue, an observation which contradicted all scientific theory at the time.

Dr. Brånemark went on to demonstrate that under carefully controlled conditions, titanium could be structurally integrated into living bone with a very high degree of predictability, and without long-term soft tissue inflammation or rejection. Brånemark coined the name “osseointegration,” meaning the attachment of healthy bone to a titanium implant.

Thus dental implants were born and the first application of dental osseointegration was the implantation of new titanium roots in an edentulous (toothless) patient in 1965. Dental implants have shown a 90 percent success rate and long-term studies continue to show improving success.

Reasons you may want to consider dental implants:

• To replace one or more teeth
• To provide support for a partial denture
• To increase the support and stability of full upper or lower denture
• To enhance chewing comfort
• To increase confidence while smiling, talking and eating
• To improve your overall psychological health
• To improve esthetic appearance and regain over all confidence

Summary

In 1952, the first dental implants were developed and since that time technology has taken leaps and bounds to give us the most modern solution for missing teeth. Dental implants restore optimum oral health, as well as confidence and hope to those who have suffered tooth loss.

The Effects of Missing Teeth

The effects of missing teeth can be detrimental to your long term oral and medical health. Missing teeth are also recognized associated with old age and can make you look older than you are.

Replacing missing teeth can dramatically improve your smile and the shape of your face. This greatly enhances both your dental health and self-esteem. 

An Off-bite Relationship

Having gaps where teeth are missing affects the way the jaw closes. The remaining teeth begin to tilt and drift into the gaps. In addition, food can become trapped in these spaces, increasing the risk of decay and gum disease. The tilting and drifting can also cause problems for the opposing teeth. An opposing tooth will begin to hyper erupt and begin to drift into the open space of the missing tooth, causing the opposing jaw-line to have bite relationship problems; thus beginning TMJ problems (problems with the jaw joint).

Jawbone Deterioration

As soon as a tooth is lost, either from gum disease or an extraction, the supporting bone in the jaw begins to dissolve.  This process is called resorption. The longer a tooth is missing, the greater the bone loss.

Over time, resorption of the jawbone has a considerable effect on quality of life and on the possibility of replacing the missing teeth.  As teeth are lost it becomes more difficult to eat and chew food. Studies have shown that 29 percent of denture wearers eat only soft or mashed foods and 50 percent avoid many foods altogether.  And over time, more and more of the jaw bone disintegrates until it becomes very difficult to place any dental restoration.

Benefits of Replacing a Tooth Immediately

A tooth should be replaced as soon as it is lost. This will retain your oral health by preventing bone loss, reducing movement of surrounding teeth and avoiding excess decay.

Teeth provide more functions than just the ability to chew. They are necessary for the health of the gum and jaw tissues as well, and a prolonged absence of a tooth will severely limit the possibilities for restorations.  Missing teeth may also affect your confidence and well-being.

Replacing a Single Tooth with a Dental Implant

If you have lost a tooth due to an accident or from periodontal disease, that one tooth can be replaced using a dental implant.

A dental implant is an excellent way of replacing a single tooth without the disadvantages of a fixed bridge or removable dentures. It is the ideal treatment for a missing tooth because it does not affect your adjacent teeth. That means no grinding or crowning of your natural teeth for bridges, and no clasps for removable partial dentures.

Your teeth stimulate the surrounding bone with each bite. This preserves the integrity of the bone. When a tooth is lost, the bone is not stimulated and begins to shrink away. A dental implant keeps this bone intact and can prevent both bone loss and gum tissue shrinkage. In addition, because a dental implant replaces the root structure, the jawbone is better preserved. A dental implant is also much easier to clean as compared to a bridge. And unlike a bridge, an implant can not be affected by cavities.

A dental implant looks and functions like a natural tooth, while having several advantages over other types of tooth replacement. If you are missing a single tooth, a dental implant is the most natural looking way to replace it.

Replacing Multiple Teeth with Dental Implants

As we age, a greater effort is required in the maintenance of our appearance. While we may force ourselves to a strict diet and exercise, many times our teeth are forgotten. Teeth are prone to deterioration after many years of use. They get worn down, chipped/cracked, and eventually they can be lost due to physical injury or prolonged tooth decay and deterioration. Having many missing teeth is detrimental to the health and replacing these teeth is very important.

Just as with one missing tooth, several missing teeth can be aided with dental implants. Implant supported bridges are permanently fixed in the mouth, unlike removable appliances. Dental implants look and function like natural teeth without needing the support of neighboring teeth. Because dental implants replace the root of the natural tooth, they preserve the jawbone and prevent bone deterioration. This preservation of jawbone helps to keep both the bone and gum tissue from collapsing, which may lead to an unattractive smile. In addition, with a traditional bridge, cement can wash out from underneath the bridge exposing the tooth, allowing cavities to form. Dental implants do not get cavities, but brushing and flossing are extremely important to maintain for healthy gums and help in keeping plaque away from the bone and gum tissue.

Dentures will fit more securely and comfortably with an overdenture implant. This will minimize any discomfort and movement (slipping) that is common with normal dentures. Many older adults are turning towards dental implant supported dentures for their greater comfort and confidence with dentures. Many people are often able to eat the foods they couldn’t with their old dentures.

Mulitple teeth implants are a great way to add confidence to your smile with a truly snug fitting denture or getting rid of that ill-fitting partial denture.

Summary

If you are missing a single tooth or mulitple teeth, dental implants are the way to go. They are the most natural looking way to replace missing teeth. Dental implants help maintain the integrity of the jawbone and prevent deterioration of the bone that can take place with missing teeth. It’s important to replace missing teeth as soon as possible for the full function of chewing and for a healthy, happy smile.

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