When people think about improving their smile, they usually imagine teeth whitening procedures or receiving dental crowns. Few people realize that healthy jawbone tissue is essential for a strong, attractive smile. When a patient loses a tooth, they endanger the bone density in the jaw. Thankfully, dental implants provide a secure, natural looking method of tooth replacement. In today’s blog, your Rochester dentist, Dr. Gilly Calcagno, explains how to prevent bone loss with dental implants.
Importance of Replacing Teeth
When a tooth is lost, the body immediately stops supplying that area of the jaw with necessary doses of calcium and phosphorus. Soon, bone loss begins, threatening the stability of surrounding teeth. In addition, when a tooth is missing, the adjacent teeth sometimes drift, causing misalignment and eventually, the loss of more teeth. Not replacing a missing tooth can wreak havoc on the function and appearance of your smile.
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants allow Dr. Calcagno to replace your teeth with esthetically pleasing dental restorations. Your body accepts the replacements as natural teeth; bonding with the implants to increase stability. Dental implants can be used to replace one or more missing teeth. For patients with dentures, dental implants provide secure, permanent dentures without adhesives or embarrassing slips.
Receiving Your Restorations
First, Dr. Calcagno will perform a thorough oral examination and assess the health of your jawbone tissue. For some patients, loss of bone density may require a bone graft before the implants can be placed. The next step involves Dr. Calcagno anchoring a special titanium post into the socket of the missing tooth. Dr. Calcagno will then wait for the area to heal and the bone to bond with the post. Typically, the healing period lasts three to six months. Then, Dr. Calcagno will place a custom-made crown on top of the post. When you leave our practice, you will have a durable, beautiful dental restoration.
Schedule a Visit with Your Rochester Cosmetic Dentist
Interested in restoring your smile with dental implants? Make an appointment with your Rochester cosmetic dentist by calling 507-281-3659. Our 55902 dentist office offers the latest in general, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry. We serve patients from Rochester, Red Wing, St. Charles, Winona, Farmington, and surrounding areas.
