Our teeth have many important functions. Aside from the obvious ones, have you ever considered their role in holding up your face? When we lose teeth, the bone around the site of the extraction begins to shrink. This can be an issue when the team at Summer Dental in Las Vegas is weighing a patient’s viability for a dental implant.
Bone Metabolism
We sometimes think of bone as a solid mass, unlike the softer tissues in our body. In reality, bone tissue is full of small holes – kind of like a sponge. In the interior bone tissue, the bone is continually regenerating itself. This essential process is sometimes called “bone metabolism.”
In the jaw bone, the movement of the teeth stimulate this process of rebuilding. When the tooth is gone, the bone starts to shrink as blood flow is reduced.
Consequently, people with missing teeth not only have a gap in their smile, they begin to look older because of the bone recession and eventual facial sagging.
Dental Implants Can Prevent Bone Recession
Modern dentistry to the rescue! Because dental implants are surgically attached to the patient’s jaw, they maintain healthy bone metabolism while providing near-normal tooth function. For patients missing many (or all) of their teeth, dental implants can be used to provide an anchor for a partial denture.
What if your bone has shrunken so much that there is not enough to support an implant? You may be a candidate for bone augmentation or bone grafting. This procedure is routinely completed with success.
If you are missing teeth, don’t resign yourself to dentures. Dental implants from Summer Dental in Las Vegas provide a stunning smile! We also provide general and cosmetic dentistry. Ask us about our extended and weekend hours. Schedule an appointment today.
Contact Summer Dental – Kids|Adults|Braces:
725-666-2396
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
10965 Lavender Hill Dr., #120
Las Vegas, Nevada
89135
