Dr. Joseph B. Brogdon, DDS
Chattanooga, TN

Tooth loss can have far-reaching effects on your dental health and personal appearance.  When you lose one or more teeth, your remaining teeth can drift toward the empty spaces.  This movement can cause abnormal spaces to develop between the teeth affecting the bite.    It can also cause additional tooth loss, decay and gum disease, and eventually bone loss.  Therefore, it is very important to replace teeth as quickly as possible to avoid the need for further restorative work.

After tooth loss, movement can take place anywhere from six months to a year depending on your age and which teeth are lost.  Bone is lost when a tooth is not present to stimulate it, and it will absorb up to 10 millimeters the first year after the extraction.  When 45 years was the average life expectancy, tooth loss did not have as much of an impact upon one's life.  Now with 75 being the average life expectancy. losing your teeth at 30 years old can have a great impact on your appearance and quality of life.

Dental implants are an effective method to replace one tooth or several teeth.  They are used to support a bridge, to support a partial denture, or to secure a denture.  Each implant consists of a metal anchor that is inserted into the jawbone, and a protruding post, which is outfitted with an artificial tooth.  The process requires surgery and may take up to a year to complete.

Several steps are usually necessary to place an implant.   These steps vary depending upon the type of implant.

The first procedure, under anesthesia, a metal anchor is placed into the jawbone.  Bone will grow around the anchor in about three to six months.

In 3 - 6 months, a "healing cap" is placed when the implant is uncovered.

When gums have healed , an artificial tooth (bridge or denture) is constructed then screwed or cemented to the post.  For a denture, a bar is fixed to the posts and a bar clip, attached to the denture, allows it to be snapped in place securely.

Fitting your new teeth properly may take several appointments.