Monday, June 29, 2009

Q. Why should I undergo implant surgery, instead of simply wearing a denture or a bridge?

A. A natural tooth does more than enable a person to cut and grind food and look good. Teeth also are the reason the bones of the jaws exist. When natural teeth are lost, those bones lose their reason for being, and they begin to shrink. In dentistry, this is known as resorption.
For many patients, resorption is minimal, and sufficient bone remains to provide a good foundation for a full or partial denture. For other patients, however, bone loss becomes severe. When this occurs, a number of unpleasant side effects may occur:
• Loose-fitting dentures make it difficult to bite or chew properly. As a result, the range of food a person can comfortably eat becomes limited. In some cases, this limitation is sufficient to impact nutrition.
• Loose-fitting dentures often rub the underlying gums, causing persistent soreness.
• Speech may be impaired.
• Appearance is negatively impacted.
• A gag reflex could be induced.
• Self-image is affected.

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