Key Concerns When Addressing Tooth Loss

The loss of one more teeth can be obviously concerning when it comes to your oral health, but not all of the consequences of it can be immediately noticeable. Because of this, addressing the loss of your teeth in a way that successfully restores and rebuilds your smile is a highly personalized process that, in some cases, could require more than you expect. Today, we examine a few of the key concerns when addressing tooth loss, and how taking them into account can help ensure the long-term success of your oral health treatments.

The health of your periodontal tissues

Your periodontal tissues (gums) and ligaments that support your teeth roots are essential to your healthy, natural teeth. For many people, the cause of their tooth loss stems from the erosion of these tissues and ligaments, as well as the jawbone structure underneath them, due to severe periodontal disease. When restoring your smile, replacing your lost tooth or teeth may first be preceded by personalized periodontal treatment, especially if periodontal disease was the cause of your tooth loss. Continued good periodontal health will also be important long after you’ve replaced your lost tooth or teeth.

The integrity of your jawbone structure

If you’ve lost teeth to periodontal disease, it’s likely that the disease has impacted your jawbone’s health and integrity to at some degree. However, the loss of your teeth themselves can also negatively impact this structure, particularly the loss of your teeth’s natural roots. These roots are important to sustaining the healthy bone structure of your dental ridge, which can lose mass and density following the loss of your teeth roots. Before replacing your lost teeth, it may be necessary to boost the strength and integrity of your jawbone structure with surgical bone grafting.

The loss of your teeth’s natural roots

The loss of your teeth’s roots can lead to several different concerns with your oral health, including the loss of stimulation mentioned earlier. This loss can result in the gradual shrinking of your dental ridge, which can increase your risks of losing more teeth as well as make any current dental restoration lose its firm, comfortable fit. Dental implants, which are designed to replace lost roots and support a lifelike crown, bridge, or denture, can help you address the loss of your teeth roots and reestablish their vital role in your long-term oral health.

Learn about dental implants and tooth loss

There are many concerns that stem from losing one or more teeth, but with personalized periodontal care and dental implant placement, you can successfully address most or all of them. For more information, schedule a consultation with Dr. Kania by calling her periodontal office in Encinitas/San Diego, CA, at (760) 642-0711.