Dentistry on 10 devotes an entire section on this website to dental implants for good reason. It is not an overstatement to say that implants have revolutionised dentistry. Traditionally, if you were amongst the almost 94 percent of Canadian adults missing at least some teeth, you had few options.
You may have learned to live with missing teeth, which promotes bone loss that has devastating effects on the appearance of not only your smile but also your entire face. Consider how facial features get their support from teeth. When that support is gone, tissues sag and you may appear older than your years.
There is also the issue of function. Without teeth, your speech can suffer. Eating may become difficult. Nutrition suffers and you may no longer find pleasure in foods you once enjoyed.
Traditional tooth replacement options such as removable dentures do nothing to prevent bone loss. In fact, dentures may accelerate this devastating loss of bone. Since the underlying bone doesn’t get stimulation with a removable dental appliance, the bone can atrophy like muscles may atrophy during prolonged inactivity. As your face shape changes, you may find the dentures don’t fit as well as they once did. You may recall older relatives struggling with the fit of their dentures, and embarrassing instances of loose or slipping dentures.
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The preferred, modern alternative
Dental implant-supported crowns may be used to replace one, some, several or all teeth. The idea is to rebuild the missing tooth so that it closely resembles your natural tooth. A tooth is actually different parts, so to design a tooth that feels, looks, and behaves naturally you need to build those parts.
The implant replaces your tooth’s root, which holds the rest of the tooth in place. It is made from medical-grade titanium, a biocompatible material that safely fuses with the underlying bone. The implant is placed in the jawbone and, once the bone has fused as part of the natural osseointegration process, a connector piece or abutment is added. This piece connects the dental crown to the implant securely. The dental crown is the tooth-coloured structure visible above the gumline.
If you are missing all of your teeth, dental implants can securely hold these modern hybrid dentures into place as the titanium post is embedded in the underlying bone. The common problems long associated with conventional dentures are eliminated. Bone loss is an even bigger concern with long-term complications. Since the new teeth are effectively embedded in the underlying bone by way of the implant, it gets stimulation from the act of chewing and other functions. When you use your bone, you don’t lose it. Concerns over bone resorption and all of its harmful consequences are minimised.
Discuss your options for tooth replacement, including tooth implant procedures, with your dentist near Port Credit, Dr. Rina Kotecha at Dentistry on 10. Call (905) 455-9262.
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