Diseases That Make Dental Implants Necessary

Dental implants in Denton are designed to replace lost teeth. You won’t need these implants when you have complete and healthy teeth. However, you’d have to consider these restorative devices if you’ve lost one or more teeth due to trauma or disease.

How Do Dental Implants Work?

Dental implants are metal screws that replace your missing tooth’s root. They act as anchors for the dental crowns or the artificial teeth that the dentist screws into the implant. Oral surgeons will drill a hole in the gums and into the bone. They will then insert the implant and allow it to bond with the bone through osseointegration.

Benefits of Dental Implants Over Dentures

Dental implants are more convenient than dentures. Once the crowns are attached, you just need to treat them like regular teeth. You’ll also find eating more manageable and comfortable with implants than dentures.  

Implants are also made to be durable. They have a longer useful life as long proper hygiene is observed. Lastly, implants feel and look like natural teeth. People can’t discern that you’re wearing implants unless you tell them.  

What Diseases Can Make Implants a Necessity?

Both of the diseases below are caused by excessive plaque on the teeth. Plaque is a thin film of sugar that oral bacteria eat for energy so they can multiply. This natural process produces lactic acid, which is corrosive to the enamel.

Oral Cavities and Pulpitis

When there’s too much plaque on the enamel, the bacterial population also grows exponentially. There will be enough acid to penetrate the dental shell and create holes. The holes increase in size unless the cavity is filled through cosmetic dentistry. Over time, the bacteria burrow deeper and infect the pulp, causing painful inflammation and tooth death. If left untreated, it can damage the tooth beyond repair.

Periodontitis

Film can accumulate on any part of the teeth, including the area closest to the gums. Aside from cavities, bacteria in this location irritates and inflames the gums. If plaque is not removed through brushing and rinsing, the gums will pull back and leave pockets that microbes can infect. This affliction can reach deep into the bone structure and cause tooth loss.

Other Cases That Might Require Dental Implants

Tooth and gum disease are not the only reasons why you might need dental implants. These dental devices may be necessary when you’ve lost teeth to dental root fracture or traumatic facial injuries.

Traumatic Injury

Blunt trauma to the face can dislodge teeth if the impact has sufficient force. You can save your teeth by soaking them in a saline solution or milk or placing them close to the cheek before you find an emergency dentist. You can also try to reinsert the tooth back into the socket and let the oral surgeon do the rest.  

However, if your dentist fails to restore the tooth, you should consider getting implants inserted into the hole instead.

Dental Root Fracture

Root fractures cause cracks across the tooth. The gaps are sometimes not visible and will appear only under special lighting. In other circumstances, the fissure may split the tooth into two parts. Fractures result from traumatic injuries and bad oral habits like grinding and biting with too much force.

Root fractures can be treated using various cosmetic procedures, including bonding, veneers and crowns. In more severe instances, the surgeon will extract the tooth. You can then have dental implants replace the lost tooth.

Are You Interested in Dental Implants in Denton?

Visit us at the clinic to learn more about how you can benefit from tooth implants. Call us now to set an appointment.