Why You Need To Act Fast If You’ve Experienced A Missing Tooth
It’s perfectly understandable that if you’ve recently experienced a missing tooth you might not think too much of it, especially if it’s at the back of the jaw and not particularly visible. After all, you don’t really want to go rushing out and purchasing a dental implant in Richmond…or do you?
The truth is that if you have recently experienced a missing tooth then a dental implant might not be such a bad idea. Here’s why…
When a tooth is missing it immediately kicks off a chain of events that can cause more teeth to eventually fall out leaving you with larger and inevitably more expensive problems further down the line. For example, almost immediately, the bone tissue that once surrounded the tooth root is no longer stimulated and as a result (just like a muscle which is no longer used) starts to diminish. This continues to occur over time and as a result can and will start to alter the shape of the jaw bone and ultimately the face.
In addition, just like when a keystone is removed in a brick archway, the surrounding teeth start to shift or gravitate towards the gap and can become twisted and misaligned. Having a misaligned tooth can also affect bite and as a result the opposite top or bottom tooth is no longer being used as it should. This in turn can place unnecessary pressure and stress on the tooth that is having to do all the chewing, causing it to weaken quicker.
What about dentures or bridges?
Unfortunately while dentures and bridges will give you back a complete set of teeth, and from an aesthetic point of view can look pretty natural, they can’t and won’t stop the ongoing bone degeneration process. This is why once snug-fitting dentures become loose and have to be continually re-adjusted. In many cases, because dentures sit on the gum line, they often exacerbate the process as all the pressure is being taken by the jaw.
On the contrary, if you have a dental implant in Richmond the bone loss is halted and in fact, bone regeneration takes place. The reason for this is that unlike dentures a dental implant is actually anchored directly into the jaw and because of this is becomes a stand-alone tooth. This means that it isn’t dependent on any other structure (including neighbouring teeth) for it to work. Instead it relies on the natural bone tissue merging and fusing with the titanium root for it to become fully functional. Once this occurs bone loss is completely halted. No more undermined teeth!
As you can see speed is of the essence when you experience a missing tooth; but whatever you decide to do, it’s always best to do something. Remember if you leave it you could be getting more than you bargained for.
If you want to find out more about how dental implants in Richmond can change your life for the better then contact Sheen Dental and speak to the experts on 020 8876 5277, or visit our website at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk where you can find a wealth of information to help.