If you have advanced gum disease, you likely have missing teeth because gum disease increases the risk of tooth loss. If you are considering dental implants to replace your missing teeth, there are some facts you must know, so you don't waste your money. Check out these three facts about gum disease and dental implants.
Implants Can Get Peri-Implantitis
Before you get a bone graft, you and your dentist should work together to reverse or stop your gum disease progression. This is because gum disease can affect implants. If you have uncontrolled gum disease when you get an implant, or if you stop caring for your gums, the implant can get peri-implantitis. This weakens your jawbone, so the implant is no longer as durable. Plus, as your gums recced, they reveal the titanium implant, ruining your smile again. A single implant costs about $4250, so you don't want your implant to fail because of preventable gum disease.
A Bone Graft May Be Necessary
If your gum disease is severe, your dentist may suggest a bone graft, which increases the price and length of the treatment. With a bone graft, bone is used from another part of your body or a synthetic material is used to rebuild the jawbone and make it strong. When you lose teeth, your jawbone shrinks, but you need a healthy jawbone to support the implant. Also, one of the reasons gum disease leads to tooth loss is because it destroys your jawbone.
There are Multiple Implant Options
If you have a lot of missing teeth, don't worry. You don't need to get a single implant for every tooth. There are other options. If you have a few missing teeth in a row, you can get an implant-supported bridge, which uses implants to support a few teeth. If all your teeth are missing, your best choice is implant-supported dentures because they are more cost-effective. Like normal dentures, they can be removed, but they snap into place, making them more durable. They also use fewer implants than fake teeth, which is why it's more affordable.
Just because you have gum disease doesn't mean you have to suffer from missing teeth, but you do need to work on improving your oral health. Once you have your gum disease under control, you can get dental implants and regain a beautiful smile. For more information regarding dental implants or gum disease treatments, contact a dentist in your area today and schedule a consultation.
For more information, contact a business such as Affordable Dental Care.
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