How does the absence of teeth affect health?

After the removal of the tooth, after about six months, the adjacent and opposite teeth begin to shift little by little to fill the space that has become vacant. So later there is a serious violation of the bite and dentition. And the longer this process lasts, the more difficult it will be for the dentist-surgeon or implantologist to carry out prosthetics – it may be necessary to align the teeth at the orthodontist or to file and depulp healthy teeth in order to put on the crowns and move them into the correct position.

Another problem is the needless loss of the bone tissue that held the tooth in the jawbone and the mucous membrane. This situation occurs even shortly after tooth extraction, if it was traumatic or inflammation appeared. If there is a lack of bone tissue, a bone graft will help a person, and the restoration of the mucous membrane is possible by means of mucogingival surgery. But all this prolongs the time for dental implantation and increases its cost.

If a person has lost many teeth, this leads to dysfunction of the jaw joints. It is also worth noting the changes in the appearance: atrophy of the muscles of the lower third of the face, sagging lips and protruding chin (the so-called “senile profile”). And the inability to chew food well directly affects the work of the digestive system, provoking various disorders.

Is it necessary to restore lost teeth?

Considering all the problems we have just listed, it becomes obvious: teeth must be restored. Moreover, it should be done from three months to a year after removal, until the changes have become irreversible and one-stage implantation of teeth can be carried out without unnecessary complications and additional costs. Contraindications for implantation are pregnancy (a woman should wait until the birth of a baby and the end of lactation so that anesthesia is safe), undergoing chemotherapy for cancer and other conditions that cause a decrease in the regenerative capacity of the human body. Once the cancer has been overcome and the patient is out of the risk of recurrence, implantation is conversely indicated to improve quality of life.

Among the disadvantages of dental implantation, we can note the fact that it is not a simple procedure that is carried out in every dental office, and it is still worth looking for a doctor who has the necessary experience and knows how to prevent complications after tooth implantation.

What methods of tooth restoration exist?

Dental implantation is currently the most modern, reliable and long-lasting method of tooth restoration. The stages of tooth implantation are as follows:

• surgeon’s consultation, CT scan and treatment planning. At this stage, the cost of implantation is calculated, which will not change until the final;
• if there is such a need, the doctor prepares the oral cavity in advance: performs professional hygiene, treats caries and other dental diseases, removes teeth with appropriate indications;
• installation of a titanium implant in the jawbone. If there is such a need, this stage is combined with bone plastic (in case of a lack of bone tissue) or the implant is screwed immediately into the hole of the newly removed tooth. The procedure ends with the installation of a gum former;
• prosthetics with a permanent oxide zirconium crown is performed in six months on the upper jaw (if a sinus lift was performed, then in nine months) and in three — on the lower jaw. When the patient cannot arrive for prosthetics on time, it is possible up to a year after implantation.

If the patient is a child or teenager who had indications for early removal of a permanent tooth, but implantation is not possible for him due to his age, tooth replantation may be an alternative. This is the transplantation of a wisdom tooth that has not yet erupted or has not had time to fully form, to the place of a removed molar. At the same time, the wisdom tooth is depulped and the root canals are sealed, and then it is transplanted into the prepared hole. When a tooth erupts, it performs its function and contributes to the formation of a correct bite. But even if this does not happen, the embryo of the eighth tooth at least holds its place in the jaw and does not allow other teeth to shift, so when the young patient reaches adulthood, it is possible to carry out implantation without problems.

Installation of dental prostheses is another method of restoration of the dentition, but here, as they say, there is a nuance. Yes, a removable prosthesis, despite its availability, is not designed so that a person can chew it. It performs an exclusively cosmetic function, hiding the defect of the dentition.

What is the difference between a crown and a bridge?

As for fixed prostheses, it is important to understand that they replace only the crown part of the tooth, but not the root. Accordingly, both the crown and the bridge must be attached to the implant or the own tooth.

A crown is installed when the tooth is more than half destroyed and, as a rule, depulped for a long time. Before wearing the crown, the tooth is filed in the shape of a cone.

A bridge-like prosthesis is fixed between two crowns, so if you have chosen this particular option to restore the dentition, both adjacent teeth will need preparation. It is worth noting that the place where the bridge meets the gums does not look like an erupted tooth. However, a bridge-like prosthesis allows you to adequately distribute the masticatory load and restores both aesthetic and masticatory functions.

The difference between a crown and an implant

A crown is an artificial substitute for the crown part of a tooth, which is installed on the abutment of an established implant. Therefore, it is incorrect to talk about the difference between a crown and an implant. In fact, it is two parts of an engineering structure that completely replaces a lost tooth.

Sirius-Dent clinic installs several types of implants from leading manufacturers. The difference lies in the prevalence of certain models in the world, so a person who preferred the classic NOBEL or STRAUMANN models will be able to get help in any country. A patient who has chosen INNO Korean implants will most likely find it much more difficult to find a doctor elsewhere outside of Ukraine.

What to choose: a prosthesis or a crown?

Sometimes patients ask what to choose: a prosthesis or a crown. But this wording is not correct, because the crown is already a prosthesis that restores a destroyed tooth with intact roots, or part of it, if we are talking about dental implantation with prosthetics of a missing tooth. Thus, there is no question of choosing between one and the other.

What is the best way to restore a tooth?

Today, the best way to restore a tooth is implantation. In addition, if anatomical conditions allow, we perform one-time implantation, when the patient can leave the clinic already with a temporary crown. True, you can’t chew it, but when it comes to the front teeth, the aesthetic function is immediately restored.

Rehabilitation after dental implantation takes about a week. During this time, the postoperative swelling should subside, after which the doctor removes the stitches. But if the patient does not have time for a follow-up visit (for example, a sailor has to go on a flight), we apply self-absorbing sutures and meet at the prosthetics. The patient also receives recommendations after the dental implant: the first week after the operation, the teeth should be cleaned easily and carefully, and after the crown is installed, the implant should be treated in the same way as one’s own teeth, without trying to bite too hard food. Also, implants require an annual examination by a dentist and regular professional hygiene.

Even if just now there is not enough time or money for implantation, it is worth at least buying a removable prosthesis that will help maintain the height of the bite and slow down the changes in the oral cavity. At the Sirius clinic, for example, we manufacture budget immediate prostheses (butterflies) that a person can wear for several years before implantation.

What will happen if the removed tooth is not restored?

If the removed tooth is not restored, after some time negative changes in the bite will begin due to the gradual displacement of the teeth. Because of this, the remaining teeth begin to deteriorate faster. Also, the lack of teeth does not have the best effect on a person’s diction.

How the face changes after dental implants

If a person does not have many teeth, it is noticeable on his face, namely, an “aged profile” is formed with sunken lips and cheeks. Implantation improves the situation, although the person still needs to get used to the newly acquired changes. With the appearance of implants, the muscles of the lower third of the face and the jaw joints must work fully again.

How long can I go without a tooth and what will happen?

Bite changes begin about six months after tooth removal, so dentists advise not to delay implantation and go without a tooth for more than a year. It is usually recommended to carry out implantation after three to six months. This time is enough to restore the lost bone tissue, or at least to understand that there will be no further improvement and it is necessary to perform bone plastic surgery.