A Solid Decision
If a patient loses a tooth through dental trauma or damage of some kind, it can be severely traumatic. Especially in cases where the tooth is in a prominent position within the patient’s mouth – such as at the front or in their top set of teeth. However, it is important that those who suffer a tooth loss know that there are treatments which they can opt for that can fully restore the functionality of the tooth which they have lost. Through dental implants, it is possible to replace a lost tooth in such a way that it not only looks real, but also feels real and is just as solid and reliable as their natural tooth was. When someone loses a tooth, it is often tempting to have the hole filled with more commonplace, and often cheaper methods like dental bridges and crowns. However, it’s important to note that these treatments only address the space within your mouth at a surface level, whereas dental implants act structurally.
The importance of replacing a lost tooth
Whatever happens, whether you have only just lost your tooth, or whether you have lost it some time ago – it is valuable that you recognise the importance of replacing a lost tooth rather than leaving the space unfilled. One of the most commonly found issues which can arise from having an unreplaced missing tooth is the loss of the ability to chew foods properly, without some struggle or discomfort. However, there are actually far more serious potential consequences such as the loss of bone tissue and density around the affected area. This can occur in cases when a large amount of time has passed since the tooth has been lost, and can visibly alter the shape of the person’s facial structure and shape. Another damaging effect of having an unreplaced missing tooth is the shifting of the surrounding teeth within the person’s mouth. This shifting causes the surrounding teeth to become misaligned as they attempt to fill the hole, which leads the person to having a far higher risk of developing gum issues or infections such as periodontal disease, as gaps and spaces are formed between their shifting teeth.
Replacing the structure of a lost tooth
Whilst common treatments to address a lost tooth generally act by relying on the surrounding teeth for support and sitting on the gums of the patient, dental implants replace the entire structure of the tooth. This happens through the insertion of a replacement tooth root which is made from a special titanium alloy metal. Titanium metal is used in particular for the dental implant process, as it has the unique power to bond itself to natural human bone tissue. This bonding means that, when a denture is fixed in place to the titanium tooth root, it will be firmly in place permanently. By replicating the process of how a natural tooth is embedded within the mouth, the end result is usually found to be far more comfortable within your mouth, often to the point that people forget that they are even there. Anyone who has lost a tooth and is looking to comfortably, and permanently restore what has been lost ought to look into dental implants and get their smile back to full radiance.
