Jaw Decay Due to Tooth Loss

If you’ve lost one or more of your teeth to gum disease, injury or tooth decay, dental implants may be the best way to restore your smile.

Designed to match the color and look of surrounding teeth, dental implants are made of lightweight, surgical-grade titanium and are actually fused to your bone as permanent solutions.

When teeth begin to decay, the jaw bone does as well over time, thereby resulting in a small and shrunken look. Losing bone strength and structure in the jaw this way also tends to age a person greatly. Through dental implants, you can begin to regain that bone structure, strengthen your jaw and get back to showing off the strong, healthy smile you used to have.

Benefits of Dental Implants – Dental Implants in Marietta & Decatur

With the help of dental implants, patients can experience improved chewing and speaking abilities, as well as a restored, beautiful smile and youthful appearance. Dental implants can also serve as sturdy support for a fixed dental bridge or denture.

Approximately 50% of people in America between the ages of 18 and 64 are missing one or more teeth. The most natural, functional, and advanced technology to replace a missing tooth (or teeth) is dental implants. Did you know:

• More than 9 out of 10 implants last greater than 15 years.
• Dental implants never develop decay, and will never require a root canal.
• Dental implants preserve the jawbone, and prevent the look of premature aging due to a sunken face.

In addition to giving you the confidence to smile widely, dental implants can also provide the following benefits:

• Improved speech. If you are missing teeth, or if you have been using dentures, you may unconsciously be mumbling or even slurring your words. With dental implants, there is no danger of the dentures slipping so you can speak comfortably and clearly.
• Eating is easier. A gap in your mouth where a tooth used to be can make everyday activities like eating more difficult. Traditional dentures can slide and move as your tongue, cheek, and lip muscles move which doesn’t make eating any easier and often painful with sore spots. When you choose dental implants, you’ll have a mouth full of teeth again and will find yourself eating better for perhaps the first time in years!
• Convenient and durable. There’s nothing to remove, because implants are fixed and they’re very durable. When taken care of, an implant may last a lifetime.
• Improved oral health. Your dental implants will never decay, and you’ll never need root canals on them. If you have been diagnosed with advanced periodontal disease removing the teeth will get rid of the disease as well and you’ll have a healthier mouth and body.
• May make you look younger! Because dental implants help preserve your jawbone, they can reduce a “sunken face” appearance and make you look years younger.

Entrust your smile to Marietta’s award-winning dentist. Get the look you want without the pain.

Frequently Asked Questions -Dental Implants in Marietta & Decatur

What are dental implants?
If you’ve lost one or more of your teeth to gum disease, injury or tooth decay, dental implants may be the best way to restore your smile.

Designed to match the color and look of surrounding teeth, dental implants are made of lightweight surgical grade titanium and are actually fused to your bone as permanent solutions.

How are dental implants placed in the mouth?
There are two parts involved with getting dental implants. In the first procedure, a channel is created in the jawbone (where your roots would be in a regular tooth), and the implant is fitted into that channel. A temporary healing cap may be placed over the new channel to prevent your gum from closing over the implant. This surgery should not be painful and is generally done under local anesthesia just like other common dental procedures. However, we also provide sedation dentistry where you will be relaxed throughout the whole procedure and in most cases won’t even remember the appointment.

Then, your mouth will need to heal and the implant will fuse to the bone over a period of two to six months. When the implant has fused, your dentist will be able to attach a tooth restoration to the implant to finalize the procedure.

What if multiple teeth are missing?
If you are missing several teeth in a row, Dr. Patel may use a combination of implants and custom-designed bridgework or crowns to give you back a gap-free smile in as little as one day.

If it makes sense to replace all of your upper or lower teeth, implant-supported dentures may be used instead of traditional dentures. With implant-supported dentures, the dentures are connected to the implants so you don’t need to worry about the slipping and sliding that can occur with traditional dentures. You also won’t have to remove them and you’ll be able to eat any foods you like. These also provide additional support for your cheeks, lip, and face if you’ve had extensive gum tissue or bone loss.

How do I take care of implants?
Just as brushing, flossing, and regular cleanings are important for your natural teeth, they’re also important for your implants. Your Marietta dentist will also want to periodically monitor your new implants to make sure they’re doing what you want and need them to do.

Here at the Cobb Center for Advanced Dentistry in most cases all of your treatment will be done in house by one dentist, Dr. Patel. He is trained and accredited by the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. He will base your treatment in neuromuscular principles to ensure he gets you into the best bite relationship possible, giving you a more comfortable fit and making you look years younger.