Living With Missing Teeth Is Risky

People generally do not intend to lose any of their permanent teeth, but life sometimes happens. If you play contact sports, the wrong impact could lead to a tooth falling out. Trauma, decay, and age can all contribute to teeth going missing, but what do you do after? It is important to see a periodontist such as Dr. Curry Leavitt of Red Rock Periodontics & Implantology to discuss your options as living with missing teeth poses quite a few risks.

The Drawbacks of Leaving Missing Teeth Untreated

Your teeth act as supports for your jaw bone and the teeth surrounding them. When one tooth goes missing, the adjacent teeth are at a much higher risk of falling out as well. Over time, the jaw bone starts to deteriorate, and this also increases the likelihood of additional teeth going missing. In addition, if you have missing teeth, it can make it harder to eat your favorite foods and even speak properly. You might try to compensate for this by changing the way you move your jaw to speak and eat, which can lead to injury or other complications.

How Dental Implants Help

Dr. Leavitt offers dental implants to replace missing teeth. This consists of embedding a titanium post into the jaw bone in a surgical procedure and letting the post fuse to the bone through osseointegration. The post can then be capped with a crown that looks and functions like a real tooth. This allows you to eat your favorite foods and speak normally once again. In addition, implants are a long-term solution that can last up to a lifetime with the proper care and maintenance.

Learn More at a Consultation

Dental implants are an effective option, but they are not ideal in every situation. To learn more about implants and how Dr. Leavitt may be able to help restore your missing teeth, contact our office and schedule a consultation today.

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