How your smile looks and functions is paramount to your health and well-being. That’s why Dr. Christina Papageorgiou replaces missing teeth with state of the art dental implants in her Weston, MA office. Learn why tooth replacement is important and what modern options are available to you.
What happens after tooth loss
Extract or restore? It’s a question answered between you and your dentist, but in general, both patients and dentists alike wish to preserve natural teeth as long as possible. When tooth loss is inevitable because of serious gum disease, injury or extensive decay and abscess, prompt tooth replacement keeps smiles healthy.
Leaving a smile gapped has certain unfortunate consequences:
- Unattractive, prematurely aged appearance with sagging facial features and skin wrinkling when several or all teeth are lost
- Drifting and weakening of teeth surrounding an empty tooth socket
- Poor chewing and slurred speech
- Gum recession and deterioration of the jaw bone
Your Weston, MA dentist does all she can to prevent tooth loss, but if it happens, she has several options customized to your specific need. A beautiful, fully restored smile is possible!
Tooth replacement choices for Weston, MA missing teeth
Dr. Papageorgiou offers patients traditional tooth replacement options such as fixed bridgework, comprised of one or more artificial teeth in a row anchored by dental crowns mounted on neighboring teeth. She also crafts partial dentures, held in place by metal clasps, and full conventional dentures secured by the mouth’s natural suction.
She places state of the art Weston, MA dental implants, true artificial teeth from root to crown. Unlike traditional bridges and dentures, dental implants reside in the individual’s jawbone, exercising it for good density as the patient bites and chews. No other prosthetic device has this bone-strengthening capability.
Dental implants are well-tolerated and long-lasting
A single implant has 3 basic parts: a titanium screw put into the jaw during a comfortable in-office surgery, a metal alloy abutment which extends above the gum line, and a custom-fabricated porcelain crown to cover the metal parts and accomplish the tasks of biting and chewing. The treatment process take several weeks to allow for the implant site to heal completely.
Because the dental implant itself is made of titanium, human bone melds right to it. Scientists call this process “osseointegration, “ and it’s truly amazing. A full 90 percent or more of dental implants are retained and last indefinitely because of osseointegration. In fact, dental implants are “one-time fixes” as long as patients brush, floss and get routine cleanings and exams with their Weston, MA cosmetic dentist.
Can you receive a dental implant?
A comprehensive dental exam at Papageorgiou Dental Associates will tell you yes or no. Thankfully, most healthy patients with sufficient bone make great candidates and are very pleased with the look and feel of their implants.
Find out more. Contact Papageorgiou Dental Associates for a your restorative dentistry consultation. Dental implants are a great solution to missing teeth in Weston, MA.