Most patients in San Francisco welcome a tooth extraction if they’ve been dealing with the pain caused by a problem tooth even if it just started to hurt. However, the process of tooth extraction isn’t over as soon as the tooth has been removed. Taking care of the affected area is one of the most important parts of the healing process. It can impact your overall health over time. Many men and women assume that losing “just one” tooth is not a big deal, especially if it is towards the back of the mouth – after all, nobody can really see that it is gone, right? That could not be further from the truth. Our San Francisco oral surgeons recommend having dental implants placed following a tooth extraction to avoid some potentially severe consequences.
Accelerated Tooth Decay or Tooth Loss
Although it is easy to take the ability to chew the food that we enjoy for granted, tooth loss can make eating more difficult. Extracting a natural tooth also means removing the tooth root, and your jawbone relies on teeth roots for stimulation. Without a root, the bone at the site of extraction will shrink, possibly causing the rest of your smile to shift in a way that puts too much stress and wear on the other teeth. Accelerated tooth loss or tooth decay is a real possibility. But when you have a dental implant placed by our doctors in San Francisco, you will be able to prevent that acceleration of decay and tooth loss.
Drifting Teeth
Another situation that occurs when a dental implant is not inserted after a tooth has been extracted is that your other teeth will slowly begin to shift and move out of alignment. If, for instance, the missing tooth is on the upper arch of your teeth, the whole upper arch of your teeth won’t have its previous borders and will eventually start drifting. This causes an uneven bite and other dental conditions to occur in your gums and other teeth. Not addressing the missing tooth immediately could create much more serious issues that are not only destructive but are much more expensive in the long run than simply having an implant placed when your tooth is extracted.
Decreased Jawbone
The roots of your teeth strengthen your jawbone by promoting bone growth. Many people are surprised to hear that the roots of their teeth are what keep the jawbone alive and stable. When a tooth has missing roots, the jawbone begins to shrink. Dental implants allow you to maintain the structure of your jaw.
Undesired Physical Features
You may have seen people who, although they may wear dentures, have lost definition in the lower half of their face. Many patients in San Francisco aren’t aware of the undesirable physical features associated with not getting dental implants after tooth extraction. Your facial features will change, making you look older. Your speech may become slurred over time, and the entire shape of your face could be altered. These unpleasant physical features can affect how you feel about your appearance which in turn negatively impacts both your social life and your career.
SF Oral Surgery recommends dental implants for patients in San Francisco shortly after undergoing tooth extraction. To learn more about both procedures, contact us today to set up a consultation.
