Tooth loss impacts people in many ways: appearance, oral function, digestion, speech, and more. At Elite Family Dentistry in Mesa, AZ, Dr. Katia Mortazavinia provides advanced dental implant solutions to restore smiles beautifully.
Losing one tooth...
It's losing one tooth too many. Dentists work hard to prevent tooth loss, decay, gum disease, and other oral health problems. However, they still may occur. Regarding tooth loss, the impact resembles a cascade of falling dominoes—that is, tooth loss leads to another problem which causes another issue, and on it goes.
For instance, a single-tooth smile gap triggers:
- The weakening of teeth neighboring the empty space
- Gum recession at the extraction site
- Bone resorption
Bone resorption? That means the alveolar ridge of the jaw bone deteriorates, losing size and strength relatively quickly. Dear Doctor reports that because the bone is not stimulated by biting and chewing, it shrinks by as much as 25 percent with a year after tooth loss. Bone loss is cumulative as well, affecting bite height, facial appearance, and more.
What to do about tooth loss
Your future can look bright despite tooth loss. At Elite Family Dentistry in Mesa, AZ, Dr. Mortazavinia helps people overcome this all-too-common problem. She offers conventional bridges and full or partial dentures. Additionally, the dentist places dental implants, today's premium tooth replacement option.
A single dental implant is composed of a titanium screw surgically placed into the jaw. Uniquely, this roughly-textured device attracts bone cells, facilitating a bonding process called osseointegration.
A few months after it's placed, the dental implant receives a metal alloy abutment and porcelain crown. That completes the new tooth, and amazingly, the natural functions of biting and chewing strengthen the effects of osseointegration.
At Elite Family Dentistry, Dr. Mortazavinia qualifies implant patients with a careful oral exam and review of medications and medical history. Bone density is an important factor, too, and is visualized by a three-dimensional digital X-ray.
Finally, you should know that dental implants:
- May support bridges and dentures
- Are easily cared for with brushing, flossing, and routine dental visits
- Last for decades
- Look, act, and feel totally natural
Turn a negative to a positive
If you worry about losing teeth, see Dr. Mortazavinia and her team at Elite Family Dentistry in Mesa, AZ, for the best preventive care and the latest in tooth replacements, dental implants. Call us for a consultation: (480) 265-8702.