Having had the privilege of being the dentist for countless patients, I have been witness to the advancements of dentistry that have really improved the quality of life for so many people—most specifically, dental implants.
The first titanium dental implant was placed in a human in 1965. Since then, more research and refinement has taken place to allow for greater predictability and long-term success for dental implants, making this procedure the gold standard in tooth rehabilitation.
Unfortunately, there are situations where too much deterioration has occurred to the point of the tooth not being able to be saved or, if attempted, the final result would not be a long-lasting solution. Both scenarios end up with the tooth being removed.
For many individuals, a missing tooth may be solely a cosmetic concern. But in reality, a multitude of negative issues involving your jawbone structure, chewing efficiency, speech, and long-term oral health can occur.
There are several ways to rehabilitate the area of the missing tooth or teeth. One outcome involves removable dentures that, if fabricated well, can absolutely bring value to a patient. However, even the best denture will only give 20-30% of the bite force that a human would with a full set of natural teeth; subsequently, I always ask patients who are interested in conventional dentures the following: “If you go to a restaurant and open up the menu, do you choose things based on what you want to eat or what you can eat?
Any time a tooth is removed, the area where the tooth used to occupy and function shrinks and degrades due to lack of stimulation. This can occur drastically within the first year after the removal of a tooth with no implant replacement.
Dental implants are not limited to single teeth and can play a very important role even for patients who wear dentures. The biocompatible titanium material that dental implants are made from can preserve the bone density in the area of the missing tooth/teeth. Moreover, by having the denture be “attached” to the dental implants, the bite force load from the patient is improved, sometimes upwards of 60%.
Dental implants can also benefit patients missing one or several teeth. Not only can you avoid potentially unnecessary dental treatment on the neighboring teeth, but you can also halt the progression of bone loss. The bite force of implants replacing single or several teeth is equal to or approaching natural teeth. However, implants must still be maintained and cared for with routine dental checkups and examinations to ensure proper gum and bone health and continued long-term success. Ultimately, it is up to the patient to make the final decision.
Kevin Tsui, DDS, MS, is a dentist at Waterside Dental Care located at 175 Cross Center Road in Denver. A UNC Chapel Hill graduate, Dr. Tsui earned his master’s degree in cell and molecular biology from Tulane University before returning to UNC for his dental degree. Reach Dr. Tsui and the entire team at 704.951.8300 or visit www.watersidedentalcare.com. Offering convenient hours, 7am–7pm & on Saturdays, and always accepting new patients.
