Dental Implants Can Address Depression

Depression can be the result of any kind of pain. This simple fact isn’t one that is overlooked by those who suffer from any sort of chronic pain condition. It also effectively underscores the importance of taking good care of your teeth.

No matter what situations occurred that resulted in tooth loss, the important step now is to ensure no further deterioration and to address the dental problems that you currently have. Where missing teeth are concerned, resulting problems can be more serious than you might suspect.

When you having missing teeth, your body responds. You might believe that once your tooth was pulled or fell out, you don’t need to worry about that area of your mouth anymore. This is most definitely not the situation. Unfortunately, once a tooth falls out or is pulled, your body quickly responds. Since the jaw is no longer supporting the tooth, your jaw begins to lose bone. This process can become serious over time, but does not happen overnight. Thus, the sooner that you begin investigating your dental options, the better.

A Bigger, Better Smile

Having a smile that causes you to be sad or depressed is no way to go through life. A poor smile will likely impact how you interact with others and what you do with your free time. A lack of confidence in your smile may even impact how you live your life and what career paths you choose.

It is also true that missing teeth may impact how others relate to you and interact with you. The overall impact can thus be quite profound, and as a result, might have negative implications on your happiness and sense of well-being.

Self-Esteem and Dental Implants

If you have missing teeth, dental implants can help you in a remarkable number of different ways. Many people who are missing teeth commonly report that they also have self-esteem issues as well. Oftentimes these self-esteem issues can be quite serious. Clearly, they may be tied into depression or withdrawal from social situations.

In the end, all of these factors may reinforce one another and contribute to a downward spiral that impacts one’s social life and sense of self. However, the good news is that Houston dental implant experts realize the mental and emotional implications of missing teeth in the lives of their patients and are ready to help.

The easy answer, of course, is yes. Your dental implant professionals in Houston will be very quick to tell you that you most certainly should replace your missing teeth, and in most cases, with dental implants. The reason is that dental implants are a top choice in that they provide a myriad of benefits that other options, such as dentures, just don’t offer.

The Causes of Missing Teeth

There are a wide variety of reasons why people ultimately lose teeth. A common reason for tooth decay is that the enamel that protects teeth simply breaks down. Once this has occurred, the underlying tooth structure can be damaged and holes in the teeth can result. These holes are, of course, cavities. If not treated quickly enough, the process resulting in tooth loss can begin.

A major culprit in tooth loss is sugar. Sugar, in general, is bad for the human body. Processed sugar, in particular, can be brutal on the human body, leading to premature aging and the damage of teeth. When sugar and the natural bacteria of your mouth combine, damaged teeth can be the result.

Missing Teeth Will Impact Your Life

Houston professionals who handle dental implants are often kept quite busy as a result of accidents resulting in tooth loss.

There is no doubt that missing teeth will impact your life in a variety of ways. Those with missing teeth are often quite self-conscious, and as a result, might shy away from social situations and smile less than they otherwise would.

Dental Implants and Your Health

There are many reasons to replace your missing teeth with dental implants. One of the largest reasons is that dental implants will allow you to eat a wider variety of food, which leads to greater nutrition and overall health.

Dental implants also protect against bone loss. Quickly after one loses a tooth, it is possible for the jawbone to begin disintegrating. The process can be abated with dental implants.

Crown

A crown is an artificial tooth that is mounted on a dental implant to replace a missing tooth.

Dental Implant

The dental implant is a small and sturdy post made of titanium that is implanted into the jawbone to act as the root structure for a replacement tooth.  Implants are the newest method for replacing the roots of teeth that have been lost.

Dentures

Dentures are removable sets of replacement teeth that are often considered an alternative way to replace missing teeth.  This can be some teeth, or a replacement of the entire upper or lower teeth.

Edentulous

Edentulous is a term that means to be toothless.

Implant-Supported Dentures

Dentures that have implants in place to support and secure the dentures are called implant-supported dentures.  This can increase the stability of the dentures and reduce gum and tissue irritation because the dentures are no longer slipping.

Oral Hygiene

The term oral hygiene refers to the care of your mouth and teeth.  This can include brushing and flossing of the teeth, in addition to routine screening visits to a dentist.

Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon

This professional is a dentist who specializes in surgery of the mouth, face and jaw.  Oral surgeons receive four to seven years of additional training in a hospital after completing dental school.

Osseointegration

Oseeointegration is the process where the dental implant is integrated into the bone of the jaw as the bone grows around the implant.  This process can take from three to six months for the implant to be adequately fused and anchored to the bone.

Peri-Implantitis

Peri-Implantitis is an infection of the gum and tissue around the site of a dental implant.

Periodontist

A periodontist is a dental specialist who has training in diagnosing and treating diseases and problems with gum tissue and the tissues surrounding the jaw.

Periodontitis

One severe gum disease that can develop around a natural tooth is called periodontitis.

Prosthodontist

Sometimes known as a cosmetic dentist or restorative dentist, the prosthodontist is a specialist in providing restorative treatment after the loss of teeth and their supporting structures.

Resorption

Resorption refers to the process where the bone of the jaw begins to dissolve after a tooth is lost.  The longer a tooth is missing increases the chance and amount of bone loss or deterioration.