When Is Dental Implant Surgery Needed?

Dental implants are a common intervention for tooth loss. There are many reasons for tooth loss, including poor oral hygiene, plaque and tartar buildup, tooth decay, and gum disease being some of the top reasons. Dental implants consist of an artificial tooth root placed in your jawbone. This root creates a permanent strong foundation and structure for a replacement tooth. An implant differs from other tooth replacement options because it not only replaces the tooth but the root as well.

When you lose a tooth and you don’t replace it, there will be a domino effect of changes as a result. One little shift will turn into another and another, and this will change the whole dynamic of your teeth and mouth. Shifts in your bite can lead to problems with your dental occlusion and this can cause many problems that affect your life more than just inside your mouth.

One of the best things about dental implants is that they have a 98% success rate when taken care of properly. That means once you have dental implants, you won’t have to worry about failure or fixing them, as long as you take care of them.

Of course, the best judge of whether or not you need a dental implant would be your dentist or oral surgeon, but there are some warning signs you could look for:

• You have one or more missing teeth-If you are missing one or more teeth, you don’t have to feel ashamed of your missing teeth. Dental implants are a great option, and can fill in the gap without looking artificial or out of place
• You have loose dentures, loose partials, or a loose bridge-Many people suffer from loose dentures and partials. If you replace your loose dentures with implants, you can restore your smile, and you no longer have to worry about your dentures falling out.
• You have an infected tooth that need to be pulled-If you have an infected tooth, it can either be saved with certain procedures or it may need to be extracted. Once the infected tooth is removed, the implant will serve as your new tooth. It will be durable and similar your natural teeth. Replacing it with an implant will also prevent your other teeth from shifting
• You have a sunken in facial appearance-Choosing dentures sometimes affects the overall appearance of your mouth and chin areas. This is due to the fact that dentures do not stimulate the jawbone to encourage the regrowth of critical tissue. The jaw ignores the fact that you have dentures, and the jaw continues to regress.
• You’re unhappy with your dentures-While many people are perfectly satisfied with dentures, you may be tired of the constant removal, cleaning and applying denture adhesives. Implants are permanently attached to your jawbones and will not require such products or procedures.
• You have a broken or severely cracked tooth-If you suffer from a severely cracked tooth, you have a few options, a crown, an extraction, or an implant. Your dental care provider will try to save as much of the tooth as possible, but it may require extraction and replacement with an implant. If the tooth is broken below the gum line, extraction may be the only option.
• You feel insecure about your smile-For some patients, dentures, partials or a bridge can cause them to feel insecure about their smile. Implants do wonders for your smile. Once the implants are placed, you’ll feel confident in your new smile, and will no longer feel the need to cover your mouth or refuse to smile or laugh around others.
• You have difficulty chewing food because of missing teeth-Missing teeth pose problems when you try to eat your favorite foods. With implants, you won’t need to worry about biting or chewing and you will be able to eat your favorite foods without hesitation.

If you are suffering from any of these signs, you should contact your dentist or oral surgeon for a complete examination and evaluation.

Atlanta Oral & Facial Surgery is an exceptional care team dedicated to resolving complex health concerns in ways that consistently earn the trust of patients, those who care for them and referring dentists.  As the largest oral surgery group of its kind in the United States, we have revolutionized our patient journey into a thoughtfully designed holistic experience that addresses patient concerns, centralizes and simplifies processing, and inspires confidence in exceptional outcomes.

Oral health is at the center of wellbeing, so we invest our time, talents, and resources to deliver remarkable care that enhances quality of life and transcends the expected healthcare experience.

For more information about our practice, visit our website or contact us at 478-401-1527.