4 Good Reasons You Might Need a Dental Implant
No matter what you do to protect your smile, there may come a point when some of your permanent teeth are knocked out or must be surgically removed. Here is a quick glimpse at some of the most common causes of tooth loss and a few of the leading options for treating those issues.
Severely Infected Teeth
Even though teeth are incredibly strong, they can still become damaged at any time. When a tooth is chipped or there is a large cavity, germs could make their way to the inner pulp, and that might result in a tooth infection. Minor tooth infections that are caught early on can usually be treated with a root canal, but teeth must sometimes be completely removed and replaced if the infection is severe or has spread.
A Misaligned Smile
Quite a bit can be done to realign one’s teeth, but options such as braces aren’t ideal in every situation. If the teeth are severely misaligned, then a surgeon might suggest removing at least a few of them. Once they have been removed, dental implants can be used to support the surrounding teeth and complete the patient’s smile.
Cracked or Chipped Teeth
Chipped and cracked teeth are more common than most realize, and a relatively high percentage of people will have to deal with this oral health issue at some point over the years. For smaller chips and cracks, a dentist might suggest dental bonding or the use of dental veneers. When a chip or crack has compromised the structure of a tooth or exposed the pulp, then the tooth will either need to be capped or replaced with an implant.
Acute Trauma to the Face
Whenever something impacts your mouth, there is a chance that your teeth will be knocked loose or completely knocked out. In some cases, a healthy tooth can be placed back in the mouth after it is knocked out, but many surgeons simply prefer to install an implant. Once the implant is in place and the mouth has fully healed, the implant is going to look and feel just like a natural tooth.
While losing permanent might feel devastating, an experienced oral surgeon should be able to help you restore the form and function of your smile with dental implants. Those devices can last for decades with the proper aftercare, and they will allow you to once again smile with confidence.