Tooth loss can cause several oral health concerns you may not know about. Beyond the aesthetics of tooth loss, other factors can also affect your oral health. Here's what you should know.
What Happens to Your Jawbone After a Tooth Is Lost?
When you lose a tooth, you also lose its root. Without a root to support it, your jawbone begins to shrink and deteriorate. This often impacts neighbouring teeth and sometimes results in more tooth loss. Bone loss can also change your facial structure, giving you a more sunken appearance.
The teeth surrounding your missing tooth may also begin to drift into the empty space. This can create bite misalignment and make your teeth more susceptible to damage from chewing in ways they weren't designed to.
Is It Too Late for an Implant?
Dental implants require patients to be in good general health and have enough healthy bone structure to support them properly. So if you have experienced bone loss after tooth loss, you may have been told you weren't a candidate for dental implants.
The good news is that a bone grafting procedure can rebuild and strengthen your jawbone so it can support a dental implant. Dr Skaf performs bone grafting procedures here at our dental surgery, making dental implants accessible to most patients. He also performs sinus lifts for patients whose sinuses block dental implant placement.
What to Expect from Your Treatment
If you need bone grafting to make dental implants in East Hills possible, the healing process may take a few months as your new bone structure heals and integrates.
If you're feeling nervous about implant or bone grafting surgeries, we offer dental sedation with nitrous oxide or IV sedation with an in-house anaesthetist. IV sedation helps you feel completely relaxed, while still being responsive during your treatment.
To fund your implant procedure, we offer convenient payment plans through Afterpay, Zip, and TLC. Talk with our team for more information.