3 Reasons to Have Dental Surgery to Replace Missing Teeth

Our Redwood City office can perform dental surgery to give you back the full functionality and appearance of your smile after tooth loss. Replacing missing teeth is a critical process for improving the outward appearance, bone health, speech, ability to eat, and self-confidence. Whether or not to replace teeth is not an option. The main option that you will want to consider is how you want to replace them. With standard options like dentures and dental bridges, many people instantly gravitate toward what they know. However, there is a third option that is far more durable and better for your health: dental implants. Surgically placing them in the jaw, dental implants are worth learning more about.

Here are the top three reasons our patients replace their teeth using dental surgery to acquire dental implants:

#1 - They want a new tooth that does not go anywhere.

Dentures may look like natural teeth, but they are designed to be removed on a nightly basis. That means your teeth can move out of place or become loose at any time. If you are trying to enjoy a nice big steak, that can be incredibly inconvenient. If you are running a marathon, it can be embarrassing. If you want teeth that stay in place no matter what, you need implants.

#2 - Implants stop resorption.

Within the first year of losing a tooth, you will start to experience resorption — at a rate of 25 percent in a single year. Resorption is when the body begins to leach calcium from your jawbone because it believes that your jaw is no longer doing its job of supporting your teeth. The more calcium your jaw loses, the less dense it will be. Resorption puts your remaining teeth at risk and can cause your face to have a sunken appearance, making you look far older than you are. Dental implants provide your jaw with the stimulation it needs to stop the resorption process. During the dental surgery, the surgeon attaches the implant to the jawbone so osseointegration can take place.

#3 - They're looking for a solution that looks natural.

Dental implants are the most natural-looking way to replace teeth because a dental lab creates the tooth portion to your exact specifications and measurements. The lab can even match the shade of white necessary to blend in with your surrounding teeth. Since the tooth is secured to your implant, it is not connected to your other teeth in any way. There are no visible wires or hooks like with dentures and no dental crowns to worry about, like with a dental bridge.

Dental Surgery Is Your Best Option

When it comes down to convenience, appearance, health, and durability, nothing compares with the benefits that come from dental implants. When you use implants to replace your teeth, you can eat all your favorite foods, maintain a healthy lifestyle without worrying about your teeth, exercise, laugh out loud, and do anything you would with a full set of natural teeth. There are no restrictions beyond taking care of your smile. To learn more about the many benefits, call and schedule a consultation with our Redwood City office.

Dental Implants  >  Cosmetic Dentistry

What You Should Know About Dietary Restrictions After Oral Surgery

We perform oral surgery on a regular basis, primarily to place dental implants.  If you have lost a tooth, implants are the best way to replace it because an implant not only replaces the actual tooth but also the root system.  It is the only solution to do so considering that both a dental bridge and dentures only deal with the problem on the outside of the gums.

While highly effective, this is a surgical procedure.  In order to place the implants, we insert a titanium post under the gums and secure it to the jawbone.  This is done in every place where a tooth is missing.  We do this under anesthesia so that you remain comfortable and do not feel any irritation during the procedure itself.  Since it is surgical, there will be a recovery time that is associated with the procedure and the more implants that you have placed, the longer the recovery period will be.

During this time, it is important that you eat a healthy diet so that you can keep up your energy and give your body the best opportunity to recover quickly from your oral surgery.  This can be challenging since your gums will also be sore and there are natural restrictions associated with what you can eat.  You need to focus on eating foods that are soft and will not irritate your gums.

Here are some meals that we recommend you try after having oral surgery.

Breakfast

Be sure to continue to eat every meal, including breakfast.  While cereal and toast are out of the question, you can have oatmeal or cream of wheat that is made with whole milk.  You can also try boiled or scrambled eggs as a nutritious breakfast.  Otherwise, we recommend that you have a smoothie where you combine your favorite fruits and vegetables with yogurt and protein powder.  A smoothie can be used to replace as many meals as you like and will provide you with much of the nutrition that you need as long as you include the correct ingredients.

Lunch

For lunch, many of our patients eat soup.  You can buy soup in the can or make your own potato soup that can be blended for a meal that is delicious, easy to make and eat. You can also try eating a tuna sandwich or a hummus sandwich on soft bread with applesauce on the side.

Dinner

After having oral surgery, this can be the hardest meal to replace simply because most people eat meat as their main dish.  In the beginning, pork, chicken, and beef will be too challenging to eat but you can substitute these with a soft fish or tofu.  Both will provide you with the nutrition that you need while being easy to eat.  Add a side dish of mashed potatoes or soft pasta shells that are easy to chew.

Keep in mind that your dietary restrictions are only temporary.  You will be able to return to a normal diet fairly quickly and once your gums are healed and your new tooth secured, there will be no dietary restrictions.

Cosmetic Dentistry  >  Periodontics