Your teeth are designed to last for a lifetime; however, for 120 million Americans, that did not happen. Tooth decay, disease, and trauma can all lead to the loss of a tooth. While you may be tempted to leave the problem untreated, it will result in several complications that will hurt your quality of life and oral health. Instead, it is best to replace the tooth with the next best thing to your natural teeth. With dental implants in Norman, you will regain a healthy, complete smile.
Stop the Complications of Tooth Loss
Every tooth in your mouth serves an important role to maintain your oral health and functions. When even one is missing, you will start to notice your confidence and quality of life decrease as new daily challenges develop. However, there are also changes that will occur that you may not be able to see right away, such as:
- Bone Recession: When a tooth is lost, the underlying jawbone is no longer stimulated. As a result, the bone begins to deteriorate. Over time, this will negatively impact your oral health as your remaining natural teeth lose the support they need to stay in place. In addition, your facial structures will begin to change, causing an aged appearance from premature sagging skin and wrinkles.
- Teeth Drifting: As your bone loses density, your remaining natural teeth no longer have the support they need to stay in place. They will begin to shift toward the empty space, causing alignment issues. This makes them harder to clean, increasing your risk for tooth decay and gum disease. They may eventually become loose and fall out.
- Nutritional Deficiencies: When there are empty spaces in your smile, it will become difficult to chew many foods. Over time, you may come to avoid them altogether because they are just too hard to eat. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies that will hurt your general health.
- Difficulty Speaking: Your teeth are necessary to help you speak clearly. When you have missing teeth, your speech may sound slurred or difficult to understand.
Restore Your Quality of Life
To stop the complications of tooth loss, your dentist in Norman has the solutions you need with dental implants. They are the only form of tooth replacement to stop bone recession due to the use of a dental implant post. By surgically placing it into the jawbone, it stimulates new bone growth to preserve the jawbone’s density. This protects your remaining natural teeth and facial structures while restoring your ability to chew and speak.
Offering over a 95% success rate, dental implants allow you to invest in your oral health and quality of life. By closely looking and functioning like natural teeth, you can smile with confidence by filling the empty space.
About Dr. Bobby J. Carmen
Dr. Bobby J. Carmen provides comprehensive dental care to the community. Due to his exceptional training and qualifications, he offers many areas of specialty, including dental implants. If you are ready to treat your tooth loss, contact our office today to schedule your consultation to see if dental implants are right for you.