2 Dental Problems You Didn't Know Could Be Fixed With Dental Implants

If you are like most people today, you have heard of dental implants and know they can replace missing teeth in a person's mouth. What you may not know is that dental implants also come in handy for other dental problems. Here are two unique purposes for dental implants, and if you have either of the following problems, then you'll be glad to know your dental problem can be fixed with implants, as well.

1. Retained Baby Teeth

If you are an adult that still has a baby tooth or several of them in your mouth, then you are not alone. While not too common, there is a small percentage of adults who still have baby teeth, believed to be between 2.6 and 11.3 percent of the population. This happens when no permanent tooth develops underneath it to push the baby tooth out as it emerges.

While having healthy baby teeth in your mouth instead of adult teeth does not pose a problem in itself, depending on where they are located, they be unsightly or make chewing difficult. For example, baby teeth in the front of the mouth may be much smaller than the adult teeth next to them, making teeth look uneven and making biting with the front teeth feel awkward. A retained baby molar between two adult molars may be so small there is a gap on either side of it, and this can lead to food getting stuck in the gaps while chewing.

If you have a baby tooth or teeth still in your mouth as an adult, then they can easily be replaced by dental implants to help you feel more confident with your smile and eliminate any problems chewing you may have. The process is simple and involves extracting your baby tooth and implanting a new tooth that shaped to match and blend in with the surrounding teeth. The entire process can often be completed in one day if no bone grafting is needed and the tissue surrounding the baby tooth is healthy.

2. One Crooked Tooth

If you have a mouth full of super-straight teeth and one tooth that is extremely crooked, then you may think that you will have to wear braces for many months if you decide to straighten that tooth. While a dental veneer can help straighten a slightly crooked tooth, a tooth that is extremely crooked with a crooked root is not a good candidate for a veneer.

While it is best to discuss all of your tooth-straightening options with your dentist first, you can have a severely crooked tooth replaced with a dental implant. When replacing a crooked tooth, your dentist or implant specialist will first extract the tooth. When the tooth is removed, the crooked root will also be taken out. Then, an implant post will be implanted very straight and an abutment and crown then attached to the post.

If you have one of the above problems, you should know that dental implants can do more than just replace missing teeth. If you think a dental implant may help you regain confidence in your smile or help you fix a problem chewing, speak to your dentist or an implant specialist to see what your options are. Contact a clinic like Associates For Family Dentistry.