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When a tooth is lost, a single tooth implant is the best way to replace it. A single tooth implant is a great way to keep your jawbone healthy, to stop neighboring teeth from shifting, and to maintain a stable bite.
It is never a good idea to do nothing about a missing tooth, because there are too many problems associated with the gap it creates. One of these is shifting teeth. When a tooth is lost, the biting forces on neighboring teeth change and they move out of place
This causes new areas of your teeth to become exposed to plaque and bacteria. These areas are harder to keep clean, and you face a buildup of cavity causing agents as a result. You also increase your risk of periodontal disease.
You may also start grinding and clenching your teeth as a result of the shift in your bite. This will make your jaw sore, and it could lead to problems with your jaw joint, the TMJ
Of all the problems that result from a missing tooth, though, bone loss is the worst. This is because teeth transmit chewing forces through their roots to the jawbone. This provides the stimulation bone needs to stay healthy, so when a tooth is missing, the jawbone around the area begins to shrink, along with the surrounding gums.
To see if a single tooth implant is right for you, we perform a thorough dental examination. This examination includes a thorough review of your medical history and an in depth discussion of any condition that may interfere with healing.
We also use our intraoral camera to perform a complete visual examination of your mouth. This allows us to check the health of your teeth and gums. We also do a standard oral cancer screen. In order to determine the health of your jawbone, we also take panographic x-rays. We may also do a CT (computerized tomography) scans.
We then take impressions and bite registrations to create an accurate model of your mouth. This is needed to create a single tooth implant that will match the surrounding teeth and work effectively to retain the shape and position of the opposing tooth.
The benefits of a single tooth implant cannot be understated. To begin with, an implant fitted with a crown effectively replaces a missing tooth. Both the base and the porcelain provide a functioning replacement for a natural tooth.
The single tooth implant is held firmly in the jawbone, so it feels much like your natural teeth when you talk and chew. The crown is custom crafted to match or enhance your smile, so no one but you will know that you have a tooth replacement.
Labels: single dental implant, single tooth implant
An Unerupted Tooth Must Be Extracted and Replaced With a Single Dental Implant
When a tooth forms but does not emerge into the mouth, it is known as an unerupted tooth. This can create other problems in the mouth, such as damage to surrounding tooth gums and supporting bones. It can even contribute to cyst and tumor formation, which in turn can damage the jaw bone. Dentists take no chances with unerupted teeth. We extract them.
This condition occurs most frequently with the wisdom teeth in the back of the mouth, which are also known as third molars. These are the last teeth to develop, but by the time they are ready to emerge, there is no room left for them in the mouth. Other teeth that sometimes fail to emerge are the cuspids, which are the four pointy teeth that dog lovers nickname canine teeth, and the bicuspids, which are between the cuspids and the molars.
The most common symptom of this condition is painful swelling in surrounding gum tissue. X-rays will indicate if there are one or more unerupted teeth. We can then extract them before they lead to further, more serious complications. If this sounds intimidating, keep in mind we can make it painless for you with either oral or intravenous sedation.
Prior to extraction, we take a close look at your medical history to see if you are allergic to anything and to study any relevant dental history, such as previous extractions, root canals, etc. We also x-ray the tooth and measure its full shape, size, and position of impact.
Once the tooth has been extracted, there are specific instructions that we give patients to follow. You should put pressure on the area by biting gently on a roll that we give you. Do this for several hours until a clot forms. After this, do not disturb the area. Also, avoid rinsing, spitting, smoking, and drinking with a straw for 24 hours at last. For the first 48 after having an unerupted tooth removed, drink only liquids and eat the softest foods only. Chew on the side of your mouth opposite the extraction area. You can brush your teeth, but do not brush near the open wound.
It is important to follow these instructions without exception to avoid complications. There are postoperative infections that can develop, and nerves can become temporarily numb. There have also been cases of dry socket, jaw joint pain, and even jaw fracture resulting from the failure of blood to clot and the subsequent exposure of bone to air.
As extreme as tooth extraction sounds, keep in mind that the Houston Medical Center Dental Group also specializes in cosmetic dental implants. Once you have healed up from the tooth extraction, we can replace the unerupted tooth with a single dental implant and restore the beauty and the health of your smile. Labels: single dental implant, tooth extraction, unerupted tooth
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