Why Think of Replacing a Single Missing Tooth with a Dental Implant?

If you have lost a tooth then unless it’s a wisdom tooth, it’s highly likely that our dentist in Harrow will have a chat to you about replacing it in some way. The loss of just a single tooth will negatively affect your dental health, even if the gap is relatively far back in the mouth and can’t be seen.

When you lose a tooth it means the teeth adjacent to and opposing the gap can begin to drift out of position which has a destabilising effect on these teeth and it will affect the way they bite together. Another side effect of tooth loss is jawbone loss, as without the stimulation provided by a natural tooth root your jawbone will gradually reabsorb in that area. This can also have a destabilising effect on the adjacent teeth and is just one of the reasons why our dentist may suggest considering dental implants in Harrow.

Benefits of Choosing a Dental Implant to Replace That Single Missing Tooth

There are various benefits in choosing a single dental implant to replace a single tooth. Firstly, a dental implant will act like a replacement tooth root, preserving your jawbone and preventing bone loss in this area. Replacing your missing tooth will ensure that your remaining teeth cannot move out of position, protecting your dental health. Another great thing about using a dental implant is that our Harrow dentist will not need to make any modifications to your natural teeth.

This is quite different compared to other solutions for tooth loss as with a dental bridge we will need to grind down the adjacent teeth because these have to be crowned to support the replacement tooth. If you choose a partial denture then this will be held in place with clasps around your existing teeth and sometimes it’s necessary to slightly modify these teeth to ensure the clasps are held firmly in position. Then there are the aesthetic benefits as a dental implant tooth will look exactly like a real tooth. Instead of the replacement tooth just sitting on your gums, it will emerge from your gums as the implant crown will be seated over the dental implant, extending to just below your gum line. If you already have crowns on your teeth then your implant crown should look no different.

Don’t Let the Time Required for a Dental Implant Put You off

It’s true that dental implants do take a bit longer to complete as the surgical procedure has to be very carefully planned using advanced diagnostics that include a CT scan and digital dental x-rays. Once the implant has been inserted into your jawbone then it has to heal or osseointegrate with the surrounding bone, a process that typically takes three months to complete. Don’t let this put you off as dental implants offer a long-term solution for tooth loss and you should be reaping the benefits for many years to come. In the longer term a dental implant can be a more economical solution than a bridge, as when the time comes to replace the implant crown you will only need to replace a single restoration rather than a bridge consisting of two crowns and one replacement tooth.

If you are considering dental implants in Harrow, why not book a consultation with our dentist here at Imperial Dental Care? Call us today on 020 8427 2264 or you will find more information about dental implants on our website at www.imperialdentalcare.co.uk.