Everything You Need To Know About Dental Implants

The absence of teeth in the mouth can cause some serious dental problems apart from the negative effects it has on your smile and facial aesthetics. The teeth perform three major functions. They help to chew, bite, and tear food, they help in the formation of speech and pronunciation of words, and they are responsible for the shape of the face. The absence of teeth in the mouth can cause eating difficulties, inability to pronounce words correctly, and cause the face to sag thereby making you look older than your actual age. Missing teeth can also affect your jaw functions. The gap left behind by a missing tooth will cause other teeth to shift in an attempt to fill the gap. This can result in a malocclusion which is an improper bite alignment. Malocclusion can result in health problems like severe headaches, tooth sensitivity, muscle pains, and even lead to loss of more teeth. However, losing a tooth does not have to be this painful and scary because there are various tooth replacement options available in Laguna Family Dentistry. A very good replacement option for missing teeth is dental implants in Laguna Beach.

Dental implants are surgical fixtures used for tooth root replacement in dentistry. A dental implant is placed into the jawbone and allowed to fuse with the bone as it heals. A dental implant is made of two parts: a crown for tooth replacement, and a tooth root made of titanium. The crown is fitted on the dental implant and acts like your natural tooth. Dental implants near you are a popularly sought-after tooth replacement option in dentistry.

Causes Of Tooth Loss

The following factors lead to tooth loss and make you need a dental implant.

• Cavities. Dental cavities are holes in the teeth caused by bacterial infections. These cavities degenerate and turn into teeth decay. This can lead to the eating away and destruction of the pulp in the center of the tooth and will make the tooth require extraction if a root canal treatment fails.
• Poor Nutrition. Frequent consumption of sugary foods and foods high in acidity will encourage the buildup of plaques that cause tooth decay. The acid eats away at the enamel and causes rot in the teeth.
• Bad Oral Hygiene. Regular brushing and flossing of the teeth are major oral habits that should be cultivated. Visiting a dentist near you or a dentist in Laguna Beach for a periodical, regular dental checkup also helps to keep dental diseases at bay. However, refusal to do these leads to a buildup of plaques, series of dental infections, and diseases.
• Periodontal diseases. Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is the leading cause of tooth loss. It accounts for about seventy percent of missing teeth. It attacks the gum, destroys the gum tissues and the jawbone underneath the gum leaving the teeth without support.
• Accident, Physical Injury, Or Trauma To The Face. This can come in form of a work hazard or during sports. Accidents are unplanned for but they can happen suddenly and make one lose a tooth or two.
• Harmful Oral Habits. Dangerous habits like smoking, teeth grinding(bruxism), opening bottles with the teeth, chewing ice, breaking nuts with the teeth, etc, can damage the tooth and cause tooth loss.

These factors can cause tooth loss and make dental implants an option for your tooth replacement.

Types Of Dental Implants

There are three main types of dental implants. They are:

• Endosteal Implant: Endosteal implants are the most common type of implants and they are suitable for patients with a good jawbone. This is because the implant requires a good jawbone to fuse to. The false tooth(crown) is fitted onto a placeholder post that is shaped like a screw and put into the jaw. The jaw requires time to heal and as it does, the post is fused into the jawbone and it creates a stronghold.
• Subperiosteal Implant: This type of implant only applies to you if you do not like the idea of something being put in your jawbone. Or if you do not have enough or a healthy jawbone to support a dental implant. The implant here, instead of being put in the jawbone, rests on top of the bone under the gum. A post attached to a metal frame is placed under the gum. The gum then heals around the frame, holding it in place. The false teeth are then fitted on the poles sticking out of the gum.
• Zygomatic Implant: It is the least common and most complicated type of dental implant. It is only done when you do not have the requirements to have the first two types of implants. The implant is placed in the cheekbone in this case.

Dental implants techniques that help when none of the types of dental implants is suitable for you include:

• All on 4 dental implants.
• Bone documentation.
• Sinus lift.
• Ridge expansion.
• 3D imaging, etc.

Dental implants feel natural and are a very close imitation of your natural teeth. They just might be your best tooth-replacement option.