Tooth replacement comes in different forms for different people, assuming they choose to replace their lost teeth at all. Patients who’ve lost several or all of their teeth have different needs than patients who’ve only lost one or two of theirs. Dental implants, however, can be combined with a dental crown, bridge, partial, or complete denture, and are therefore suitable for nearly every tooth loss situation. A dental implant is surgically inserted into the jawbone, and can support your replacement teeth with the stability of healthy teeth and their roots.
It’s Just One Tooth
Though tooth loss patients have different restorative needs, they all share one thing in the common—the need to replace their lost teeth. Even one missing tooth can have drastic consequences for the rest of your teeth, causing them to shift towards the empty space as they try to balance the pressure of your bite. How you replace the tooth also influences the rest of your oral health. A dental bridge is the conventional restoration for a single lost tooth, and consists of a dental crown on either side of the tooth’s replacement. The crowns are affixed to the teeth adjacent to the gap, or abutment teeth, which have to be modified to accept the crowns. With a dental implant, Dr. Van Wicklen can replace your tooth by placing a dental crown on top of the implant post, eliminating the need to modify healthy tooth structure.
How Many Implants Do You Need?
As prosthetic teeth roots, dental implants can be used alone or in combination with more implants to provide the appropriate support for your dental prosthetic. Patients who’ve worn dentures for a while may know that dentures can lose their grip over time. The form-fitting plastic base that’s designed to fit over your dental ridge can start to feel too large, and the device may slip when you bite, chew, speak, or smile. Dental implants provide an implanted foundation that doesn’t slip, and changing implant-supported dentures is typically less complicated, since they can be attached to your permanent implants.
The Difference You Don’t Feel (At First)
Teeth roots serve a wider purpose than just supporting your teeth. When your teeth’s roots (and dental implants) are stimulated by biting and chewing, they facilitate the bloodflow through your jaw, helping your jawbone gain more minerals and nutrients. This supply diminishes when you lose a tooth and its root, but can be restored when you replace the root with a dental implant.
About Your Austin Dentist:
Since 1985, Dr. Steven Van Wicklen has been providing expert cosmetic and restorative dentistry services to patients and families in Austin, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Bastrop, Bee Cave, Cedar Park, and all surrounding communities. To schedule your next dental consultation, call our office today at (512) 448-3131.
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