Is missing a tooth — or teeth — putting a damper on your appearance and making you want to hide your smile?
Approximately 178 million Americans are in the same boat, missing at least one tooth, while about 40 million have lost all of their teeth.
In addition to cosmetic problems, missing teeth cause a host of dental challenges, affecting everything from the mechanics of your mouth to your future oral health.
At Modern Age Dentistry, Dr. Ali Saeghi specializes in dental implants, solutions for missing teeth that look and feel natural and enjoy a 98% success rate with patients. The advent of dental implants revolutionized the way we deal with missing teeth, and you may be an ideal candidate for one or more.
Like your natural teeth, dental implants need proper care, but patients are happy to learn that upkeep doesn’t involve anything too complicated or time-consuming.
When you lose a tooth to trauma, decay, or for some other reason, you shouldn’t just leave that gap alone. A missing tooth sets you up for a host of problems, including:
It’s important to replace a missing tooth or teeth so these issues can be prevented, and you can once again sport a smile of which you can be proud.
Think of a dental implant as a replacement root for a permanent or removable new tooth.
When you see Dr. Saeghi for a dental implant, he performs a simple procedure to place a tiny titanium post (a root implant) into the bone socket where your tooth was.
Over the course of four to eight weeks, your jaw begins to heal and envelop the post. When healing is complete, Dr. Saeghi connects another very small post, known as an abutment, to your root implant. This keeps your new tooth secure.
We also create a model of your bite as part of your plan. This allows us to craft your manmade tooth or teeth that will sit atop your implant(s) and precisely match your natural teeth.
Dr. Saeghi attaches this crown — or a removable denture if you choose — to your abutment.
Throughout the implant process, you can receive general anesthesia if you like, but whatever treatment path you choose, we ensure your comfort and a seamless process.
You may wonder why so many people are opting for dental implants as their preferred treatment for missing teeth. Well, implants have many advantages.
Before the advent of implants, the only options for patients were bridges or dentures. Now, a dental implant offers patients benefits that are hard to pass up:
This last item on the list of implant plusses is particularly persuasive. When you get a dental implant, you don’t have to be mindful of complex, special care requirements.
We’re happy to share that caring for your dental implant is a breeze! It’s not unlike what you do with your real teeth to maintain your oral health.
After you receive your implant, you need to religiously brush twice a day and floss regularly, just like you do now. Interdental brushes that deep-clean between and around teeth, your post, and your restoration are great tools for those with implants.
And just like you do now, it’s important to see Dr. Saeghi regularly. He may recommend scheduling more frequent checkups, depending on how many implants you have, so he can periodically check their stability and functionality.
Finally, give your implant some TLC. Don’t chew hard things like ice or hard candy, avoid staining substances like coffee, red wine, and tobacco, and if Dr. Saeghi sees evidence that you grind your teeth, he can treat that issue as well, which will preserve your implant’s integrity.
If you think it’s time to learn more about dental implants, please contact one of our conveniently located offices in West Hills, Ojai, or Atwater Village, California, to schedule a consultation with Dr. Saeghi, or book one with us online.
