Blonde Patient in Examination Chair showing Female Dentist Source of PainIf you’re a Pasadena resident who has been told you need a tooth or multiple teeth extracted, you’re likely researching your options for tooth replacement. As you may already know, to replace a tooth or a few teeth, you can get dental implants or a bridge. And to replace an entire jaw or mouth of teeth, you can get dentures. While bridges and dentures may be initially attractive because they require less involved procedures, dental implants are the healthiest option for your mouth.

Dental Implants Save Your Jawbone Tissue

Your tooth’s natural root does more than just hold it in place. It actually stimulates your jawbone, encouraging it to grow. When you are missing a tooth or multiple teeth, this jawbone stimulation is absent and may lead to a condition called bone resorption, where your jawbone tissue shrinks. Jawbone resorption can cause a host of problems including enlarged sinuses and complicates getting dental implants in the future, as implants require an adequate amount of jawbone tissue so they can fuse with the jawbone.

How Dental Implants Work

When it comes to tooth replacement solutions, dental implants are the most unique option Pasadena residents can choose. This is because they are the only option that insert into your jawbone, thus stimulating jawbone growth as if you had never lost your natural teeth. Additionally, because dental implants are inserted into and fuse with your jawbone tissue, they create an extremely strong bond. Dental implants are known to have anywhere between a 95% to 98% success rate, meaning that they are known to last and stay in your mouth, where they belong.

What Do You Do if You’ve Already Experienced Bone Resorption, But Want Dental Implants?

Anytime Pasadena patients see our doctors for dental implants; our doctors ensure they have adequate jawbone tissue. If you have already experienced jawbone resorption, or just naturally have a smaller amount of jawbone tissue, our doctors will recommend that you have a bone graft performed before having your dental implants placed.

What is a Bone Graft?

A bone graft is an oral surgery procedure that is designed to rebuild your jawbone tissue and is sometimes performed before Pasadena residents are eligible for dental implants. During a bone graft surgery, our doctors will use donor tissue from a tissue bank to rebuild your lost jawbone tissue. Finally, a membrane is placed over the bone grafting site.

It can take up to 6 to 9 months for your jawbone graft to fuse with your natural jawbone. At this point, you will be eligible for dental implants, now that you have enough jawbone tissue to support them.

Schedule an Appointment Today

Only our doctors can tell if you have enough jawbone tissue to support implants, or if you are experiencing jawbone resorption. To schedule an examination today, contact our office in Pasadena at (818) 240-1805.

« »