Your adult teeth are meant to last forever. But many of us know all-too-well that teeth can be damaged or ultimately fail. Having been a Peabody, Massachusetts dentists for a few decades, I know exactly what missing teeth do to a person, both physically and emotionally.
Contemporary Dentistry & Implantology of Peabody, MA works with patients who are missing teeth. We offer durable dental implants and dentures for patients who need tooth replacement options. Our office can give you beautiful, natural teeth. You can call our office today at 978-278-1760.
Today I want to share what happens when you lose teeth. Having placed dental implants for decades, I’m an expert of treating patients who have missing teeth. So below are a few things I think you need to know about missing teeth. I collected this information from my clinical studies and also by listening to my patient’s concerns.
The physical and emotional trauma of missing teeth
It’s hard to hid missing teeth. Even having one missing tooth totally reshapes your smile. It’s obvious that your appearance will change when the teeth go missing, but there are more physical changes happening than you probably know about. For example, when the teeth are lost, the jawbone goes next. The jawbone secures your teeth, and it will erode if the tooth is lost. When the jawbone deteriorates, this can cause the healthy teeth in your mouth to shift. Or, if you have no remaining teeth, you’ll see a drastic reduction in jaw density and lose the height between your nose and chin. And you’ll develop wrinkles around your mouth. These changes can make you look older than you really are.
With all of these negative physical changes happening, it only make sense that you’ll suffer an emotional toll as well. Many patients who come to me to fix their missing teeth often tell me that their confidence is shattered and they feel withdrawn. Some people actually withdraw from friends and family because they are so embarrassed, or so worried about their missing teeth — or bad removable appliances.
Finding the right replacement tooth option
Your first instinct after knowing your teeth were failing was most likely to search for replacement options. After all, no one wants to walk around with giant gaps in their smile if they can help it.
For years, dentures were the primary way to replace missing teeth. Today dentures are more lifelike than ever better. They look great, but the function is far from great. Most traditional denture wearers only have about 25 to 50 percent of the bite force they had with their natural teeth. The changes in the jawbone directly affect the fit and function of these devices. Long-time dentures wearers can tell you about the pains of constantly relining or even replacing their dentures to accommodate the shifts in the bone.
Dental implants are the other, and better, way to replace missing teeth. Our dental implants are made from titanium, which naturally merges with the jawbone. Once the implant is healed, it can be restored with a crown, bridge, or denture. Dental implants nearly match the power of your natural teeth and do not get cavities. With great maintenance, your dental implant or implants can last a lifetime.
A tooth replacement option for everyone
At Contemporary Dentistry & Implantology of Peabody, we are experts in placing dental implants. We have placed dental implants for hundreds of patients. We use 3D scans to ensure that we find the most appropriate placement for the dental implants. This is an important part because the placement determines the success of the treatment.
We can place dental implants immediately after extraction or even place mini dental implants for patients who have thin jawbones. Dentures wearers would be happy to know that we can even place permanent teeth that do not cover the roof of the mouth. Being a full-service dental office, we’ll set up the entire treatment from start to finish. We are even able to handle bone and gum rejuvenation.
Resolve Missing Teeth Today in Peabody, Massachusetts
Whether you have one missing tooth or multiple missing teeth, you can find a home here at Contemporary Dentistry & Implantology. Call us today at 978-278-1760.