Patients with missing teeth can find effective, permanent tooth replacement treatment with dental implants. Implants can restore oral capabilities and enhance the appearance of your smile.
Dental implants can also stop the deterioration of bone in the jaw and even stimulate bone regrowth. Dr. Sahil Goyal, a dentist in Frederick, MD, describes how dental implants can lead to jawbone regeneration.
How Do Missing Teeth Affect the Jawbone?
Tooth loss can affect your daily life, making it more difficult to eat or speak normally. Missing teeth can also lead to bone loss in the jaw. The tooth root extends through the gums to the jaw and stimulates the bone.
Without the root’s presence, the bone deteriorates. Jawbone loss weakens your facial structure and can lead to the appearance of sagging in the face. Some tooth replacement treatments, like dentures, only replace the tooth above the gum line, which does not affect bone loss in the jaw.
How Can Dental Implants Help?
Your dentist will surgically place a titanium post into the jaw during the dental implant procedure. Once this is healed, they will use bonding to secure a prosthetic tooth or crown to an abutment above the gum line attached to this post.
The post simulates the absent tooth root and stimulates the jawbone again. This stops bone deterioration and can even encourage the regeneration of bone that may have already been lost due to tooth loss. The treatment is permanent so you will not have to worry about jawbone deterioration in the future.
Am I a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
Dental implants require a strong foundation in the jaw in order to hold the structure of the implant. If too much jawbone has been lost already due to missing teeth, you might not be able to support dental implants.
If this is the case, your dentist might recommend an alternative tooth replacement treatment. They may also suggest a bone graft in the jaw to create more of a foundation to the jawbone that can ultimately support dental implants once healed.
Dental Implants Available in Frederick, MD
Frederick Center for Dentistry offers dental implants and other restorative dental treatments to patients in Frederick, MD. Dr. Goyal also specializes in cosmetic and general dentistry for patients of all ages. To schedule an appointment or consultation with us, contact our office online or reach us by phone at 301.264.5680.