Maintaining good dental hygiene and oral health is a vital part of daily routine. Regular visits to the dentist are important in ensuring that everyday oral hygiene routines are effective. The dentist can perform further cleaning where necessary, checking that the teeth and surrounding dentition are healthy and detect any issues before they present themselves as early as possible.
Unfortunately despite care and maintenance, dental issues may occur over the course of life, and without immediate attention and treatment may even lead to tooth loss. Tooth loss can have a permanent effect on, not only the aesthetics of a smile, but the functioning of the teeth and can affect self-confidence and self-esteem which inevitably has a negative impact on many aspects of life. There are many causes of tooth loss, poor dental hygiene being the main one of them. This can usually be prevented by good oral hygiene and regular check-ups at the dentist, but there are also many causes of tooth loss which may even be unavoidable. Periodontal disease, diseases affecting the gums, from gingivitis to periodontitis, are a major cause of tooth loss. Other issues include cavities, tooth decay, physical injuries, accidents and even other underlying health conditions such as diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis may result in tooth loss.
Dental implants in the treatment of tooth loss
There are a variety of treatments available for missing teeth and dental implants Richmond have been found to become an increasingly common choice of treatment for tooth loss. Dental implants are small metal posts which are used to replace the root of the missing tooth. They are a permanent fixture designed to fuse with the alveolar bone of the jaw, and they provide a strong support for replacement teeth and can replicate the natural dentition.
Following a consultation with the dentist, an individually tailored treatment plan is designed to address the patient’s specific needs. Dental implants, which are made of titanium, are placed into the bone socket of the missing tooth. Over the course of a few months this implant is then surrounded by bone cells known as osteoblasts and becomes permanently fused to the bone. Once this has successfully occurred, following a thorough examination by the dentist, a small connector post which is also called an abutment, is attached to the implants and designed to hold the new tooth securely in place. The new tooth is developed by making impressions of the existing teeth to design crowns or dentures according to the patient’s individual requirements.
Advantages of dental implants
There are many advantages of dental implants including the improved aesthetics of the mouth. As the implants fuse with the bone they look and feel like natural dentition providing comfort and confidence at the same time. They improve the comfortable feel of the mouth which may have been lost due to tooth loss and also enable easier eating where toothlessness may have made this difficult. Dental implants improve the overall health of the mouth, as nearby surrounding teeth and dentition do not need to be altered to insert the implant, therefore the natural dentition remains and its longevity is enhanced by the overall positive impact of the implant itself.
