When contemplating your options for dental treatment, it is important to understand the advantages of your dentist’s recommendations, but it is equally important to understand what will happen if you choose to do nothing. In order to properly weigh the risks versus the benefits, you deserve to have all of the facts.

Tooth loss is a dental condition that millions of patients are faced with each year. Some of these patients may seek the best available treatment, and others may choose to postpone treatment indefinitely. Of course, our implant dentist serving Chicago Illinois will recommend the very best treatment option, with your long-term oral health and oral stability in mind.  Today, that option is typically dental implants.

Implants are so similar to natural teeth, that they can prevent virtually all of the problems associated with tooth loss. They are the only form of tooth replacement that can extend below the gumline to replace the missing tooth root. Above the gums, the implant will mimic the shape, size, and shade of the natural teeth.

Without treatment, bone resorption can be expected to occur at the location of the missing tooth, eventually spreading to affect the neighboring teeth. Research has proven that bone loss or bone resorption will occur without the direct stimulation of a natural or artificial tooth root.

Unfortunately, bone loss is responsible for a chain reaction of events that can disrupt the quality of your life and compromise your health. Bone loss tends to lead to pockets and irregularities beneath the gumline that can promote periodontal disease (gum disease). A decrease in bone volume also has a significant impact on the appearance of your facial features, such as sunken lips, cheeks, and jaws.

The decision to forgo tooth replacement will also compromise the position of the neighboring teeth. As the teeth shift or move due to a lack of support, a number of complications may arise. Difficulty brushing or flossing with consequential periodontal disease and cavities, difficulty chewing, excessively worn teeth, and strain on the jaw joint can be eventually expected.

As an individual, your experience with tooth loss will be unique, but you can trust our implant dentists to anticipate the potential consequences and provide you with the appropriate solutions. To learn more about your dental implant options, call ORA® Oral Surgery & Implant Studio in Chicago, Illinois at 312-328-9000 for your consultation.