Teeth can be lost for a number of reasons. However, some of the most common are due to decay, gum disease or as the result of an accident such as a sporting injury or road accident. When the tooth is lost it can have a severe impact on both the aesthetic appearance of the teeth and the health of the mouth and face.
Missing teeth can cause the other teeth in the dental arc to lean and rotate because they are no longer braced on both sides. This will cause the teeth to look more unattractive and also cause problems with bite. Missing teeth often lead to higher numbers of bacteria in the mouth because the hollows left by teeth act as breeding grounds for more plaque. This is because the softer gum tissue is harder to clean with a toothbrush.
However, there are a number of treatment options available to patients at Leeds dentists to replace the missing teeth with a substitute. This could be in the form of a dental bridge or partial denture. But perhaps the most realistic and authentic replacement comes in the shape of a dental implant. This is a small titanium screw that the dentist will place into the jawbone as a replacement for the tooth root. The dental implant is the only dental restoration that aims to restore the whole of the tooth from top to bottom. It is this that gives the implant its incredible reputation for stability.
Once the implant is placed in the jaw, providing the patient’s jaw is in a suitable condition to accept the implant, it will need several weeks to fuse with the surrounding tissue before it can be used as a base for the dental crown that forms the remaining part of the restoration. Unlike some other substitutes, the dental implant does not limit what you can and can’t eat and will last a lifetime if properly cared for.
Tags: dental implants, teeth loss
