Any of us can lose a tooth, for a variety of reasons, it can be an accident or a dental disease. It's very important to replace missing teeth for many reasons. First of all losing teeth can lead to changes in your speech, which can also affect your self-confidence. If the gap is left there for long enough, the neighboring teeth can start to migrate from their proper positions, creating misalignment of the teeth, change your bite, which can in turn lead to gum disease, and bite problems and headaches. When teeth are lost for a long time, the area of the jawbone that held those teeth starts to erode. Over time, you can lose so much bone that your jaw will need a bone graft to build up the bone in your jaw before your dentist can place implants or make a denture that fits properly. Tooth loss affects how well you chew and what food you are able to eat. Many people who have missing teeth have poor nutrition, which can affect overall health.



Not long ago, people who lost teeth as they aged had only a couple of choices when it came to replacing them: dentures or bridges, in any of several variations. Today, there's a third option - a dental implant. The dental implant is a small screw made of titanium that is well tolerated by the body and takes the function of tooth root. It is inserted directly onto the bone of the jaw, which subsequently grows onto the surface to anchor it firmly. Under normal conditions, the healing process can take as little as 6 weeks. After this period, the tooth replacement in the form of a crown, bridge or denture is secured to the implant.

Dr. Valdas Labanauskas from Medical Travel thinks that dental implants are the best choice to replace missing tooth or several teeth because:

Feel - Because implants are imbedded in your bone, they feel more like your natural teeth than bridges or dentures.

Convenience - You will not need to worry about denture adhesives or having your dentures slip, click or fall out when you speak.

Nutrition - You will be able to chew better with implants. Chewing can be difficult with regular dentures, especially the ones that don't fit perfectly. A regular upper denture also covers your palate, which can reduce your sense of taste.

Self-esteem - Because implants are so much like your natural teeth, you will think about them less. Your self-esteem and confidence will be improved because you will not have to worry about denture problems or people noticing that you have missing teeth. Regular dentures can also affect your speech, which can make you less self-confident when talking to others.

Unfortunately, some people may not be good candidates for implants. They include: Young patients whose jawbones have not developed completely. Pregnant women. Heavy smokers - Smoking impedes healing in the mouth and can reduce the likelihood that implants will be successful. Alcohol or substance abusers. Patients who have received high-dose irradiation of their head or neck. People with chronic diseases or systemic problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, connective-tissue diseases, hemophilia and significant immune deficiencies, among others. You still may be a good candidate for implants even if you have one of these conditions. It depends on the extent and severity of the condition.

Even if an implant isn't the right choice Dr. Valdas Labanauskas suggests: don't leave a hole, ask your dentist about other options. You can choose traditional space filling options like dentures or bridges. They too are advanced nowadays, and are worth considering.

No matter what, don't neglect good dental hygiene routines, and visit your dentist twice a year.