You may have one or more missing teeth, whether from trauma or inadequate brushing and flossing. You’ve heard the best replacement is a dental implant, since it would enable you to chew and speak as if you had all your teeth. But you still have a long-running gum infection (aka periodontal disease or periodontitis) and wonder if that would keep you from being able to have implants.
The short answer is yes–but periodontal disease can be cured and prevented from recurring, so it’s just a temporary delay, as long as you keep up with an oral hygiene regimen that keeps your mouth healthy.
Few of us were taught exactly what needs to be done to prevent periodontal disease when we were growing up. It’s not easy to get into the habit of properly brushing after breakfast and dinner for a full two minutes, using a soft bristle brush and thoroughly cleaning each side of a tooth by stroking from the root towards the mouth. Flossing is done just before bed to be sure every particle of food and any remaining liquid is removed, scraping the floss against the sides of each tooth. If you are not sure you are doing these things correctly, ask your dental hygienist to demonstrate.
It is generally a lack of thorough brushing and flossing that causes gum infection . That ultimately leads to the gums pulling away from a tooth and it falls out or has to be extracted. If it is not replaced, the neighboring teeth begin to lean in to fill the gap and they become loose, as well. So it is important to have your oral health assessed with a visit to Studio Dental by Alexander Ash DDS at least twice a year.
The good news is that once any gum disease is eliminated, a dental implant can be a permanent replacement, with continued proper care. The implant (a biocompatible screw) has to first be embedded into the socket of the missing tooth and allowed to heal for a few months, as the jawbone forms around it to keep it firmly in place. Then it is attached to a custom-made crown on top , shaded to look exactly like your natural tooth by a top dental lab.
Once the process is complete, no one will know you ever had a missing tooth. Call us today to set up an appointment for an oral health exam and to discuss your best options to restore your healthy smile. We serve the surrounding areas of Sherman Oaks, Toluca Lake, Valley Village, Hollywood Hills, Valley Glen, Studio City, and more.
By Alexander Ash, DDS
Dr. Ash is the founder of Studio Dental Care. He earned his Doctorate at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, followed by two General Residencies at New York-Presbyterian / Weill-Cornell Hospital and the UCLA Sepulveda VA Hospital.