Is a Tooth Implant Necessary?

Losing a tooth can be traumatic for any individual, particularly if it happens unexpectedly such as through a traumatic impact. Dr. Andrew Ferrier and the team at East Bay Healthy Smiles offer many services to help patients regain the full function of their mouth, including tooth implants. However, when you lose a permanent tooth, is a dental implant really necessary? It depends.

What Happens When You Lose a Tooth

Your teeth serve many important functions. In addition to making your smile appealing to look at and making it easier to speak and eat, your teeth help to support the bone in your jaw and maintain the shape of your face.

When you lose a permanent tooth through age, trauma, or decay, you lose the support for your bone as well as the functionality for speaking and eating. Over time, the jaw bone also starts to deteriorate due to lack of support, which also puts adjacent teeth at a higher risk of falling out.

The Advantages of Implants

A prosthodontist may recommend a tooth implant if you are missing a tooth because of its many advantages:

• It looks like a real tooth
• It supports the bone to prevent deterioration
• It is strong enough to support eating foods like a natural tooth
• It can last for a lifetime with proper care

Getting a tooth implant requires surgery. This means that you need to make sure you are a good candidate for the procedure before you decide to go through treatment. Implants have a high success rate, but you have to be willing to care for them properly and follow Dr. Ferrier’s instructions before, during, and after the procedure.

Schedule a Visit Today

You can find out if you are a good candidate for an implant procedure with a detailed consultation of your needs and dental goals with Dr. Ferrier. To learn more about our services and if implants are right for you, contact our office today.