Many people have missing teeth, either due to trauma or excessive decay dictating the extraction of the tooth. The question is: are you going to leave the gap or replace the tooth?
At Implant Dentistry of Florida, we all vote for the second option. For replacement, as our practice name implies, we believe dental implants to be the best option by far.
Why replace a tooth?
Some people opt to save the money and the potential hassle of replacing a missing tooth, but this is a bad idea for a number of reasons:
- The adjacent teeth shift into the gap — Teeth need teeth next to them to stay in place. When you’re missing a tooth, the adjacent teeth slide into the gap and create havoc with your alignment.
- Your jawbone suffers — Missing teeth no longer provide energy to the jawbone beneath the now-missing tooth. This energy is critical to the jawbone staying healthy.
- Nutrition holes — If you’re missing a molar or two, odds are you’re avoiding eating certain foods, such as nuts or raw fruits and vegetables, to avoid them being driven down into the gums. This creates nutrition issues.
- Whistling — Beyond the cosmetic issues, missing teeth often make the person whistle when they are pronouncing certain words.
Implant to the Rescue
Replacing your missing tooth with a dental implant is the best solution. Here’s the process:
- Placement: The titanium implant is placed into the hole formerly occupied by the natural tooth root. The implant is shaped like a screw and is inserted in that fashion.
- Osseointegration: Now the patient simply waits three to six months as the jawbone naturally grows around and accepts the titanium implant.
- Abutment: When the jawbone has fully grown around the implant, a small metal post, called an abutment, is attached to the implant and the gum tissue is allowed to heal for around six weeks.
- Placing the crown: The final step is to place a custom-made porcelain crown onto the abutment. The crown is made to match the color and shape of the surrounding teeth so, once placed, it fits in naturally.
Is it time to replace that missing tooth? Call us at Implant Dentistry of Florida, (321) 372-7700, to make your appointment.