Here at Brush & Floss Dental Center, it would shock our many teeth restoration patients to learn how many people fail to replace their missing teeth. It seems that these people are under the impression that if a missing tooth is not causing any additional pain or can’t be seen, then there is no reason to replace that tooth. What these people don’t realize is that there are actually many potential problems that can arise from missing teeth. Today, Dr. Jeffrey Hoos is blogging from Stratford, CT to talk about a couple of the issues that you may face if you fail to restore your missing teeth with dental implants.
Defend Your Oral Well-being with Dental Implants
When you lose a tooth, all that is left behind is the empty space where the missing tooth used to reside. We call these empty spots “food traps” because of how easy it is for food and debris to get caught in them. It is important to keep these areas free of food as it is possible for this debris to attract bacteria. This bacteria can create an infection in your gums, which we call gum disease. Some symptoms of gum disease include chronic bad breath, bleeding or swollen gums, chewing pain, and gum recession.
Another potential problem that can come about because of food traps is called teeth drifting. Many people don’t realize that our teeth all work together to keep each other locked firmly in place. When you lose a tooth, it is possible for the surrounding teeth to begin leaning or moving into these empty spaces. When this happens, it can be very hard to keep your drifted teeth free of plaque. This is not a good situation because plaque attracts bacteria to your teeth which, when left alone, creates acids that proceed to eat away at your teeth. We call this tooth decay and some symptoms of it include chronic bad breath, off color spots on your teeth, and toothaches.
It is for the reasons above that we recommend our patients suffering from missing teeth fill their food traps with dental implants. Dental implants are artificial tooth roots made from titanium that are fused to your jawbone through a process called osseointegration. This process is possible because the titanium that is used to make implants is not recognized by the body as an unnatural material. It is because of this process that dental implants are capable of providing results that are permanent, comfortable, and reliable.
Call and Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Hoos
We understand that the reason many patients choose not to restore their missing teeth is because of the costs associated with the procedure. It is for this reason that we are happy to provide our patients with a variety of different financing options that can help fit dental implants into any budget. If you would like to learn more about treatment with dental implants or how we can help you finance your treatment, we encourage you to contact us and schedule a no-obligation consultation with dental implant provider, Dr. Jeffrey Hoos, today.