Losing a tooth can have a dramatic effect on your lifestyle and on your oral health, but dental implants placed by the Dental Implants Dentist Novato can correct these issues, leaving you with a beautiful and healthy smile.
What Problems do Missing Teeth Create?
You may not realize it, but your teeth are constantly shifting, and even one missing tooth may cause the rest of your teeth to move out of their proper position. When a tooth is missing, constant shifting of your teeth may cause teeth to drift into the empty space, affecting alignment of surrounding teeth, and potentially leaving your bite severely misaligned. Poorly aligned teeth can also result in other oral health problems.
- Premature wear
- Teeth grinding
- Temporomandibular joint disorder
- Bone loss and gum disease
- Fracture and chipping of teeth
Normally, the roots of your teeth help to stimulate bone growth in the jaw as you chew. When you lose a tooth, the bone may start to deteriorate over time. Missing teeth can also lead to the functional breakdown of your jawbone, changing your bite and ultimately leading to changing the shape of your face and your appearance.
But with advances in modern dentistry you have options to prevent these long-term negative effects of tooth loss. Dental implants are the answer for many patients seeking to replace missing teeth to keep their bite, and smile, intact.
Tooth Replacement with Dental Implants
Since they can be used to replace even a single missing tooth, dental implants are widely used in modern dentistry. Dental implants do not require the restructuring of adjacent teeth, and can act as anchors for crowns or bridges.
Dental implants are set directly into the jaw bone. Over a period of time, the dental implant will bond with the bone. A dental crown is then affixed to the implant by the Dental Implants Dentist Novato, restoring your smile. Advances in modern dentistry have created a replacement which is virtually indistinguishable from a natural tooth.