Northern Virginia Oral, Maxillofacial & Implant Surgery Blog

If you’ve lost one or more teeth, tooth replacement is an important part of your dental care. Without it, you could face a variety of problems in the future as your remaining teeth move out of position. Dental implants are today’s replacement option of choice, as they provide several advantages over other prosthodontic techniques.

Many people see the loss of a single tooth as little more than a cosmetic issue, particularly if the tooth is not visible when you smile. However, even one or two teeth should be replaced, preferably with dental implants, to prevent long-term complications and even loss of additional teeth.

Dental implants provide a state-of-the-art, realistic long-term option for tooth replacement. Traditional implants require a few weeks for the full procedure, but in some cases, with new techniques and advancements, you can have same day tooth replacement.

Dental anxiety is a common problem that can cause people to avoid going to the dentist, sometimes for long periods—even years at a time. If you suffer from dental anxiety, sedation dentistry can help you relax while you’re at the appointment so you can get caught up with any neglected dental work.

If you have missing teeth, you can regain your smile with dental implants. Implants replace your entire tooth, including the root, giving you a perfect, low-maintenance smile and helping you maintain your jawbone health.

Having braces placed on your teeth is a complex process. It involves evaluating your teeth, the way your bite should be, and what approaches will be best to move your teeth into proper position. In some cases, you might need to have a tooth or two extracted, particularly if your wisdom teeth have emerged.

If you have a single missing tooth, you have a variety of options for tooth replacement. These include traditional options like partial dentures as well as dental implants. You and your dentist can determine the best option for your individual situation.

Dental implants are placed in a surgical procedure. Anesthesia is necessary for your comfort during the surgery. You may or may not require general anesthetic depending upon the number of implants you have placed.

Wisdom teeth often need to be removed because they are impacted. This means they can’t emerge all the way from the gums. If a tooth becomes impacted, it often requires an oral surgeon to remove it, although some impacted teeth can be removed in the dentist’s office.

Because wisdom teeth are large and the last molars to arrive, often there isn’t enough room for them to emerge properly. In these cases, they need to be extracted. If a wisdom tooth becomes infected—a common side effect to impaction—you might need to have the infection treated before the tooth can be removed.