Getting one’s natural teeth extracted can have a significant impact on the facial aesthetics of the patient. In most cases, tooth extraction is done to remove a severely decayed or damaged tooth. Some of the lesser common cases are during orthodontic treatment, root canal infection, etc. No matter what the cause is, a missing tooth has to be replaced with a prosthetic one to avoid the drawbacks that it could have.

What are the disadvantages of missing teeth?

• Patients with missing teeth often feel too conscious of their appearance when they talk, smile, or pose for photos. Lack of confidence is a common concern among such patients.
• Biting and chewing food becomes increasingly difficult with missing teeth. Over time, it may result in pain in the teeth and jawbone.
• The phonetics of the patient will change if they lose a front tooth.
• Due to the missing tooth, there might be a gap left in the jawbone. The teeth adjoining the gap could drift from their positions. This can lead to malocclusion.
• As the teeth move from their places, the jawbone may gradually shrink and deteriorate. This can promote further loss of teeth as they could loosen from their sockets.

Why should you choose implants over other alternatives?

• Implants are the strongest tooth restorations. They are made from a combination of a Titanium stud and a ceramic tooth to replace the root and tooth structure, respectively.
• The dental-grade ceramic material used to make the crown can be customized to a great extent. Its color, shape, texture, luster, and transparency can mimic the way natural teeth look.
• The metal stud has screw-like grooves on its surface. This helps to hold the jawbone firmly and prevents its deterioration. Also, this feature gives the implant excellent stability.
• Implants are long-lasting. They easily last for several years together without hassle.
• The oral functionality will be restored to normal when you get a dental implant.

What is the procedure involved?

Patients who wish to get dental implants need to satisfy a few physical conditions before the procedure. The factors that the dentist checks are the health and size of the jawbone, the overall state of health, health history of patients, etc. The dentist checks these factors and determines your candidacy for the restoration.

During the initial consultation, the dentist will clean the teeth and take a highly-precise mold to fabricate the implant crown. Local anesthesia is administered to numb the teeth, gums, and jawbone. A tiny hole is made on the jawbone, and the implant stud is inserted into it. Dental adhesives help to firmly fix it in place, after which the dentist suggests a few months healing period. During this, the gums regrow around the implant, and the jawbone adheres to it.

During the next visit, the dentist will place an abutment, a connecting element over which the ceramic crown is placed. Dental adhesives help fix the crown to the abutment firmly. In order to check the fit and comfort of the restoration, the dentist will conduct a bite test. It may be polished to enhance its luster.

Please schedule an online appointment or call us at (773) 374-9778 for Chicago and (708) 914-4381 for Homewood to have a consultation with Dr. Moore, and we will be happy to help.