Pasadena, Texas Dental Implants:

Options For Replacing Missing Teeth

Your teeth are vital tor your overall health. When your teeth are healthy, you’re healthier too. The sickest people in nursing homes are usually the patients missing all of their teeth.  A missing tooth can adversely affect your bite, speech and eating choices.  Missing teeth cause a cascade of dental problems. As you rely more on the remaining teeth, these remaining teeth take on extra burden. There is an increased chance the remaining teeth will  be damaged or lost. Losing teeth causes altered chewing and can initiated headaches and jaw pain.

Loose teeth, loose bone.

The function of the jawbone is to support the teeth. When teeth are lost the jawbone starts to deteriorate and fade away. On average, people will lose 25% of their supporting jawbone structure within the first year after tooth loss. This bone loss continues for life. Dental implants are the only tooth replacement option that can preserve the jawbone.  Thus, dental implants safeguard and preserve your bone structure, oral health and appearance.

Bone Loss after tooth extractions. This causes a collapse of the face.

Tooth Replacement Options

There are number of different options to replace your missing teeth. A good candidate to receive a dental implant is anyone missing one or more teeth or those unhappy with their dentures. Age is not a limiting factor. However, smoking,  diabetes, and radiation therapy to the area, have been shown to lower success rate of implant successes.

Fixed Bridge

A fixed bridge is a connected set of replacement teeth. The  outer layer of tooth enamel is ground down (and can never be replaced) to provide space for the bridge. Then the bridge is cemented into position. Disadvantages of a bridge are that it damages teeth (the teeth have to be aggressively cut down) and that 50% of bridges fail withing fifteen years.

 Partial Denture

  A removable partial denture comes in and out of the patients mouth daily. The partial denture “partially plugs in the holes of the missing teeth.” Patients do no like having the extra bulk in their mouth and notice a great decline in chewing ability.

Denture

The most common solution for people missing all their teeth is an old fashioned dentures.  The biggest complaint in dentistry is that “patients hate their full dentures.” This is because dentures are NOT a replacement for teeth, dentures are a replacement for no teeth. The dentures are big plastic prosthesis that only look like teeth. The old fashioned dentures in no way act like teeth. The dentures are loose and prone to falling out. Patients have to wear massive amounts of denture adhesives to keep the dentures in. Furthermore, the dentures irritate the gum tissue and underlying bone causing the tissue to rapidly disappear. This cause the denture to become even more loose.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are the most advanced and permanent solution to missing teeth. They look, feel and function like natural teeth. Furthermore, dental implants are the only treatment option that keeps the jaw bone healthy and strong. Implants can be used to support dental implant dentures.  Unlike bridges and partial dentures, no healthy teeth are damaged when using dental implants. Dental implants are designed to last a lifetime.

What Are Dental Implants?

A dental implant is a tooth root substitute. The implant replicates a natural tooth root. The dental implant is placed into the bone and the bone grows around  the implant. This locks the implant firmly into the jawbone. Then the abutment is screwed into the implant and will serve as the base for the beautiful porcelain crown.

Dr. Michael Nugent is located at 3421 Burke Rd #1, Pasadena, Texas 77504.

Dr. Nugent is a family dentist that deals with Cosmetic, General, Implant and Sedation Dentistry.

To discover how dental implants can change your life call our office today.