Our adult teeth are meant to last us for life, but all too often lifestyle factors and medical complications get in the way. Tooth loss is very common, and it doesn’t just affect people over the age of 65 – in fact, people of all ages can lose their teeth for all manner of reasons. The most important thing to remember in the modern day and age is that tooth loss is not the end; a dentist can replace any lost teeth with functional, aesthetically-pleasing alternatives.
People lose teeth for all manner of reasons. Gum disease and tooth decay are the most common causes, but accidents and injuries also frequently lead to missing teeth. Medical conditions that compromise your immune system, such as HIV, can increase your risk of tooth loss from gum disease, as can treatments such as chemotherapy. Your dentist will want to see you more regularly than normal if you are in a high-risk group.
A dentist has many ways to replace your missing teeth. For one or two teeth, a conventional dental bridge may be used, whilst a partial denture can replace some or several teeth. When all the teeth are missing in one or both jaws, a full denture is required.
At Ace Dental in Kentish Town, a common option is to stabilise a denture with dental implants. This alleviates many of the common problems reported by patients who wear standard dentures – issues with eating, speech, and confidence.
Because dental implants replace the roots of the teeth they both help to hold a denture (or bridge or crown) in place, and also preserve the health of your jaw bone.
A shrinking jaw bone is the primary cause of common denture concerns. Stabilising your dentures with dental implants means that you won’t have difficulties with eating, speaking, smiling, or socialising – instead, once your implants have integrated with your bone, you can get on with your life with a fully functional set of new teeth.
Osseointegration, the process by which implants mesh with the jaw bone, commonly takes between three and six months to complete.
