Have You Suffered From Gum Disease or Tooth Loss?

Tooth loss and gum disease are devastating blows to your oral health. If you are suffering from one or both, you may feel embarrassed by the appearance of your smile or frustrated by your inability to chew and speak normally.

Fortunately, there are many tooth replacement options available. Learn more about your options, then find a dentist who specializes in tooth replacement to help you transform your smile. There’s an option out there for all degrees of gum disease and tooth loss!

Causes of Tooth Loss

Unless you’re involved in a serious accident and sustain a major injury to your mouth, tooth loss doesn’t happen overnight. Most people find themselves coping with tooth loss as a result of aggressive gum disease, also known as periodontitis or advanced periodontitis.

Gum disease is a serious gum infection that develops when plaque, tartar, and bacteria accumulate on the gums. This leads to inflammation that damages the soft tissues of your mouth. Without treatment, gum disease destroys the bones and gum tissue supporting your teeth, and they eventually can fall out.

Your Options When It Comes to Tooth Replacement

Though tooth loss is painful and embarrassing, it can be addressed with one of many tooth replacement options, such as dental implants. Depending on the condition of your mouth and strength of your jawbone, one or more of these tooth replacement options may be best for you:

• Single tooth implants
• Full mouth implants
• Partial dentures
• Full dentures
• Implant-supported dentures
• Removable Implant dentures

Each tooth replacement method offers its own perks. Learn more about each to identify the best choice for your dental health.

Partial Dentures vs. Full Dentures

Dentures are available to replace some of your teeth (partial) or your entire upper and/or lower row of teeth (full). These custom-made prosthetic devices are made with strong, long-lasting acrylic resin.

Full dentures sit along the gum line to replace all upper or lower teeth in one arch. The denture prosthetic is designed to suction firmly to your gums so that you can chew and talk normally.

Partial dentures, on the other hand, replace just a few missing teeth so that your smile always looks full and attractive.

Implant-Supported Dentures vs. Removable Implant-Supported Dentures

Some patients want dentures that provide more support than traditional dentures. Implant-supported dentures offer the perfect solution.

Implant-supported dentures include a full arch of dentures secured in place by four or more implants. Many patients prefer All-On-4 dentures (a specific type of implant-supported dentures) because they often involve less implants and less visits than typical implant-supported dentures, all while still fitting securely and can last a lifetime.

If needed, implant-supported dentures can be removable as well. Removable implant-supported dentures can be adjusted as needed, such as for cleanings or future procedures.

Overall, implant-supported dentures and removable implant-supported dentures are so popular for these benefits:

• Comfortable and secure
• No trouble speaking while wearing the dentures
• No tacky denture adhesive required
• Prevent the breakdown of jawbone and facial sagging

Dental Implants

Many patients wonder, why dental implants? Implants are considered the Gold Standard in tooth replacement because they’re attractive, natural looking, long-lasting, and incredibly durable.

A dental implant is an artificial tooth implanted directly into the jawbone. Once inserted, this titanium screw fuses with the jawbone to provide a solid, permanent foundation for individual dental crowns, a multi-tooth bridge, or even an entire dental prosthetic.

If you’re only missing one tooth, a single tooth replacement with an implant is an efficient way to complete your smile. The implant will look so natural that nobody will realize it’s not your real tooth! However, if you’ve suffered widespread tooth loss, multiple dental implants may be needed to reconstruct your smile.

Dental Implants vs. Dentures

In the debate of dental implants vs dentures, many people select implants to enjoy these benefits:

• Implants can last the rest of your life
• Implants stimulate the jawbone to prevent facial sagging and loss of bone dentistry
• Implants can help prevent the denture premature aging look
• Dental implants look and feel completely natural
• Other tooth replacement alternatives like All-On-4 dentures can be achieved using implants

Overall gum disease and tooth loss are serious, painful issues that can’t be ignored. Find a dentist that specializes in permanent tooth replacement in order to receive the professional care you need to smile with confidence once again.