How Implants Address the Problems Associated with Missing Teeth
There are many ways that an adult can come to be missing teeth. Engaging in contact sport can lead to teeth being knocked out. Severe decay in a tooth can mean that extraction is the best option. The most common cause of tooth loss is gum disease. Gingivitis, left untreated, can develop into periodontal disease. In this advanced form of gum disease, pockets form under the gum line allowing bacteria to multiply and attack the gum tissue resulting in abscesses and loose teeth. In this week’s blog, we’ll be taking a look at some of the problems associated with missing teeth and how implant treatment can be an effective solution.
Eating Problems
Effective eating uses all the teeth. Where there are gaps, problems can occur and people with multiple missing teeth may even have to alter their diet. Food with sharp edges (a crisp at the wrong angle can be surprisingly sharp) can be painful to eat. Missing incisors make tackling foods that require a strong bite, such as crusty bread and corn-on-the-cob, difficult to eat. Missing molars might mean that a person can only chew on one side – or not at all.
Speaking Problems
Teeth also play an important part in the production of speech. A whole class of speech sounds is known as the ‘dental fricatives’ and requires the tongue to be pressed briefly against the front teeth. The soft ‘th’ of ‘thistle’ and the voiced ‘th’ of ‘the’ are two examples of English dental fricatives. ‘The’ is the most commonly used word in the English language – but you can’t sound its initial consonant if you are missing your front teeth.
Mental Health Problems
Understandably, some people with missing teeth can become self-conscious. They may feel that their missing teeth affects their appearance and may become reluctant to smile or appear in photographs. Some people may even develop mental health problems such as anxiety or depression that often manifest as a reluctance to engage with the world.
Implant Treatment
At Norfolk Dental Specialists, we offer a range of implant treatments that solve the problems caused by missing teeth. An implant is an artificial root that can be used to anchor replacement teeth. We can provide anything from a single implant for a single tooth to multiple implants for full arch replacements for your upper and lower jaw.
Dental Laboratory
The crowns, bridges and full arch replacements that we attach to the implants are manufactured to the highest quality in a dental laboratory. We work closely with the lab specialists to make sure that implant bridges are constructed in such a way that eating, speaking and cleaning are once again comfortable activities. Restoring missing teeth is about more than restoring your smile – many of our patients talk about the life-enhancing effects of being able to eat and talk normally again.
If you would like to know more about dental implants, you can download our pdf: ‘All you need to know about dental implants’. Click the arrow on the banner at the bottom of the screen to find out more.