Your teeth affect your whole body. When they’re healthy, you’re healthier too. A missing tooth can affect your bite, speech and eating choices. As you rely more on your remaining teeth, you increase the chance they will wear out prematurely, or be damaged or lost. You may also experience headaches and/or jaw pain.
Who would want their appearance and health to deteriorate? That’s the natural consequence of missing teeth – the jaw literally melts away. Generally, people will lose 25% of their supporting jawbone structure within the first year after tooth loss. Dental implants are more easily placed when teeth are first extracted because bone replacement becomes more complex as time passes. The great news? Dental implants act just like your natural teeth. They safeguard and preserve your bone structure, oral health and appearance. Your dentist and the implant surgeon will provide you with options so that you can make the most informed decision concerning tooth replacement.
You can select from a number of different options to replace your missing teeth – from temporary to long-lasting solutions.
A good candidate is anyone missing one or more teeth, or who is unhappy with their dentures. Age is not a factor. However, smoking, diseases such as diabetes, and radiation therapy to the area, have been shown to lower the success rate of implant placement. X-rays of your jaw will be taken to evaluate whether they will accommodate implants. Detailed x-rays may also be required to determine if other tests or procedures are needed to place implants properly.
Dental implants are the most comfortable and permanent solution. They form a strong foundation for teeth and keep the jaw healthy and strong. Implants support individual replacement teeth or secure specialized dentures in place. Unlike bridges, no healthy teeth are damaged. Unlike most bridges, dental implants can last a lifetime. Implant-supported replacement teeth can be attractive, stable, and comfortable for almost any patient.
A fixed bridge is a connected set of replacement teeth. For support, it is cemented into position on top of the teeth adjacent to the empty space. The protective outer layer of these teeth is usually removed or ground down prior to attaching the bridge.
A fragile, temporary and inexpensive solution is a removable plastic tooth with a plastic retainer, often called a “flipper”.
A less fragile option is a removable partial denture cast in metal and plastic. It is held in place by wire clips. A removable partial denture can be removed and reinserted when required by the patient.
The most common solution, for people missing all teeth in one or both jaws are complete dentures. Some people adapt well to dentures. Others find them uncomfortable, even intolerable, because of differences in jaw size and shape.
There are several reasons: A dental bridge can sacrifice the structure of surrounding good teeth to bridge the space of the missing tooth/teeth. In addition, removing a denture or a “partial” at night may be inconvenient, not to mention dentures that slip can be uncomfortable and rather embarrassing.
Our practice offers comprehensive oral and maxillofacial surgery, and our board-certified surgeons specialize in dental implants, advanced bone grafting, wisdom teeth removal, oral pathology, and IV sedation to restore oral health, function, and confidence.
Impacted or crowded wisdom teeth can lead to pain, infection, and shifting of nearby teeth, so our team removes them before they cause lasting problems with your bite and oral health.
Dental implants replace missing tooth roots, providing a secure foundation for natural-looking, fixed or removable replacement teeth.
Bone grafting restores lost bone and encourages new bone growth, creating a strong foundation for dental implants while improving both function and appearance.
IV sedation helps reduce anxiety and maximize comfort during oral surgery, allowing patients to feel deeply relaxed while our surgical team carefully monitors their safety throughout the procedure.
“I’ve seen Dr. Hlousek on a number of occasions and am impressed not only by his surgical expertise and knowledge but how caring he is. He explained everything in advance and even called me the day after my procedure to see how I was feeling and to call if I needed anything. He has a big heart and even donates his valuable time and skills to those less fortunate… my kind of doctor!”
“Oral Surgery Specialists are wonderful. From the front desk staff, to the dental assistants, to the doctors, you couldn’t ask for better care. Dr. Jones was kind and compassionate, talking me through everything he was doing. I highly recommend this practice.”
“The team was tremendous. Everyone was extremely nice and explained the whole process in manner that was easy to absorb when you’re anxious about why you are there. During the procedure, Dr Chambers and the whole team were incredibly efficient and well orchestrated, all while being very attentive to pain levels. Absolutely an auto recommend.”
“Dr. Kufta has the hands of an angel!! He and his team are the absolute best at what they do. After four visits, they are still warm, professional, and excellent listeners who always make me feel comfortable and well cared for.”
