Dental Implants

Having missing teeth is very common: already 69% of those aged 35-44 have lost at least one tooth, whether due to an accident or not brushing and flossing adequately. By the time Americans are over 74, 26% have no teeth left.

Of course, everyone with one or more missing teeth would like to chew normally and speak clearly, but the more that are lost, the harder this is to do. But that is basically just an inconvenience. What is more important to know is that whenever one tooth is gone, for whatever reason, this begins a chain reaction: the teeth next to the gap naturally lean in to fill it and become loose themselves. Eventually, they are likely to fall out and this process continues on to the other teeth nearby.

When many are missing, one popular option is to have a partial or full denture–a set of artificial teeth that sits on top of the gums. However, dentures have to be readjusted about every five years to fit because they are not anchored into the jaw like teeth, which prevent the erosion of the jawbone.

The much better option is to have dental implants placed. The visible part will be made of dental porcelain and shaded to look exactly like your teeth. No one would know you ever had missing teeth and they can be a permanent solution with good dental hygiene.

If your tooth is merely loose, it needs to first be extracted, which can be done painlessly and then the socket allowed to heal. If the tooth has been lost already, the process can start immediately with placing the screw-like dental implant into the jaw (you will be given a local anesthetic). A few months later, after the implant has integrated solidly with the jawbone, a crown that looks like a tooth and crafted by a top dental lab, will be attached at the top of the implants.

If you already have missing teeth or are worried about what to do because some are loose, call Garden Grove Dental & Orthodontics today to set up an appointment for a full examination and a discussion of your options for a healthy mouth going forward.