The Missing Gear in the Machine

Healing Tooth is the name of our practice as it is our goal to preserve the natural tooth as long as possible. However, if a tooth needs to be extracted, it is our recommendation to replace it due to the changes that will occur in your mouth. 

The Missing Gear in the Machine

Think of your mouth like a finely tuned machine, and each tooth is one of the gears.

When all the gears are in place, the machine runs smoothly - you can chew efficiently, speak clearly, and keep everything aligned. But if one gear (tooth) is removed and not replaced:

The Machine Loses Balance. Other gears (neighboring teeth) start to shift or grind evenly, just like gears slipping out of place. Missing teeth will result in other teeth drifting towards the midline or teeth supra-erupting.

The Chain Weakens. Without the gear, the load falls on the remaining ones, causing extra wear and tear. This leads to teeth cracking or inflammation of the gums. A change in the bite could lead to periodontal involvement. Additionally, the bite may begin to collapse, loss of vertical dimension, leading to jaw pain or temporomandibular joint disorder.

The Engine Degrades. Over time, the space where the gear used to be rusts and breaks down. Likewise, the jawbone begins to atrophy and shrink.

This is why dentists replace missing gears.

A dental implant is like fabricating a brand-new gear with its own axle and foundation, restoring the machine to full function.

Dental implants are made of titanium or zirconia and used to replace teeth in the mouth. They are most like a natural tooth in terms of function and cleanability. There are two phases for a dental implant: surgical phase & prosthetic phase.

The surgical phase includes preparing the site for a dental implant ensuring adequate bone and tissue. The dental implant is surgically placed into the site. Bone augmentation at the time of implant placement may be required in addition to a membrane to guide the tissue towards proper regeneration. Three to four months post-surgery, the success of the dental implant is determined.

After successful osseointegration, a scan of the dental implant is taken to send to our world-class dental laboratory. The dental laboratory fabricates the custom abutment and the implant crown which is delivered in your mouth. Once reconstructive phase of dentistry is complete, an occlusal guard will be made to protect the teeth.

A dental bridge is like linking the nearby gears together so the machine keeps running, even if one gear is gone. We prepare the tooth in front and behind the missing space. Afterwards, the bridge is cemented in.