100
Escarpment Magazine Spring 2014
Losing
oneormore teethstartsachainofevents that can lead tounhappy
physical and cosmetic consequences. Themost obvious one is themissing
toothgap inaperson’ssmile. Lessobvious is the lossofchewing functionand
the inability to followacompleteandnutritiousdiet,a factor that can lead to
poor overall health and vitality.The potentially biggest andmost common
problem liesbeneath the surface; shrinkageof the jawandbone loss.
Thesolenaturalpurposeof thebone thatmakesup the jaws, calledalveolar
bone, is toprovideattachmentand support for the teeth.Without the teeth to
stimulate the jaw, thebone shrinksanddisappears throughaprocesscalled
disuseatrophy, in thesamewayasunusedmusclesget smallerafteran injury
or lackof exercise. The teethand facial bones support themusclesand skin
over them.Without that support the facewillbegin to lookprematurelyaged,
sunken in, collapsed.
Dental implants offer a solutionnot only to replacemissing teethbut also to
helppreventbone loss.Althoughevenearlycivilizations recognized theben-
efitsof tooth replacement, andmanyattempts havebeenmadeusingprimi-
tivemethods andmaterials toachieve fusionof the jawbone to implants, it
wasnotuntil the70’s that titaniumdental implantshavebeenable toachieve
predictableosseointegration.
Titaniumoffers thebenefit of being lightweight, strong, andbiocompatible.
It isnot rejectedby thebodyand it is themostwidely
usedmetal inorthopedic joint replacementandden-
tal implantswith the highest success rateof any im-
planted surgical device.
Todaydental implant treatment ispartofmainstream
dentistry. It isusedasabionic replacement formiss-
ing teeth to provide proper chewing function, to
allow for cosmetic rehabilitation, and toprevent the
facial collapsedcharacteristics that result fromatro-
phyof theboneof the jawswhen teethare lost and
remainunreplaced.
|E|
ESCARPMENT
®
WELLNESS
|
healthier lifestyle habits
Missing teeth and difficultieswith denturesmake toomany
people sit on the sidelines letting some of the best times pass by,
affecting their quality of life. It doesn’t have to be that way
becausemodern technology and dental treatment plans can
replace anything from a singlemissing tooth to a completely
edentulousmouth. Dentists and dental specialists have the
information, the tools, and the training to provide the different
dental implant options now available to the public.
Normal profile
After tooth loss
After bone loss
PREVENTING
premature
aging
By JONDPERLUS
BSC. DDS. DIPPERIO
