Dentist in Northwest Oklahoma City Says Implants Strengthen Smiles

You know that dental implants replace single teeth, but did you know they also support fixed bridgework and full dentures? Yes, today’s most popular and stable tooth replacement option is the solution to poorly fitting prosthetics. Your gapped smile can be beautiful and strong once again with implant-retained prosthetics from Dr. Patrick Crowley, your dentist in Northwest Oklahoma City.

The Problems Created by Missing Teeth

What’s so bad about missing a tooth or two or even more for that matter? Sometimes people protest that losing a molar makes no difference whatsoever in their appearance, and well, can’t they just chew on the other side of their mouths?

The American Academy of Periodontology says that teeth lost to decay, gum disease or oral trauma adversely affect your:

• Personal appearance (your facial muscles sag with multiple tooth loss)
• Remaining teeth as they drift to fill the empty tooth socket
• Jaw bone integrity (bone is resorbed quickly after tooth loss)
• Self-image because no one really feels confident when they can’t smile broadly

The Problems Created by Traditional Tooth Replacements

While well-fitting fixed bridgework and partial and full dentures have long helped patients retain an element of oral function and smile aesthetics, these prosthetics create some worrisome difficulties of their own. For instance, conventional bridgework and dentures simply set on top of gums. So gums and bone recede relatively quickly.

Also, fixed bridgework requires grinding down of the neighboring teeth used to anchor the prosthetic. This enamel reduction creates an entree for tooth decay. Finally, full dentures are notorious for questionable chewing ability, slurred speech, and embarrassing slippage.

How Dental Implants Solve Those Problems

Enter the world of dental implants. Dr. Crowley evaluates patients for dental implants and carries out the entire procedure right at Bluff Creek Dental. Composed of a titanium implant screw, a metal alloy extension post, and realistic porcelain crown, the single-tooth implant is today’s gold standard in tooth replacement.

Why is a dental implant superior? The biggest reason is the integration of the jaw bone and the titanium implant device. After Dr. Crowley surgically inserts an implant into the jaw, the bone bonds to the device through a process called osseointegration, making the artificial tooth just as strong as stable as a natural tooth. Osseointegration exercises the jaw every time the individual bites down on his implant. Additionally, a dental implant lasts for decades whereas conventional tooth replacements require change out every seven to 10 years.

Fortunately, application of dental implant technology extends beyond replacing one or two teeth. Dr. Crowley uses multiple dental implants to retain fixed bridgework (replacing one or more consecutive teeth) or to anchor full or partial dentures.

The advantages of implant-retained prosthetics are a restoration of the majority of chewing ability, clear speech, youthful facial appearance and patient confidence in how they look when they eat, smile, speak and laugh in public.

To qualify for tooth replacement with dental implants, Dr. Crowley examines the patient’s teeth and gums and takes digital X-rays and other imaging to determine bone density and other elements of the facial structure. The best implant candidates are in good oral and overall health.

A Strong Smile is a Happy Smile

Dr. Crowley and his team can help you achieve that strong smile. If you’d like to know more about dental implants and their various applications, contact Bluff Creek Dental for a personal consultation.