Gum Disease Can Ruin Your Dental Implants if Left Untreated

Dental implants are a wonderful alternative to dentures when it comes to replacing one or several of your teeth. The implants are anchored directly into your jawbone much like your natural tooth and help to maintain the integrity and density of your jawbone. Additionally, they help maintain your natural face shape and can last for years.

As with natural teeth, periodontal disease is still a concern when you have dental implants. Today we’re going to look at some of the causes of gum disease and what you can do to prevent it and make sure that your dental implants last a lifetime.

Gum Disease

Periodontal disease is caused by bacteria build up in the mouth that attacks the tissues around the teeth. While there are some signs and symptoms, unfortunately many people do not even realize that they have gum disease until it’s too late. Gum disease, if left untreated, can result in tooth loss as the bacteria attacks the bone tissue around the teeth. Whether you have natural teeth or dental implants, periodontal disease can eat away at the bone and your teeth can become loose and fall out.

Dental implants replace missing natural teeth differently than regular dentures. Our staff will insert your dental implant directly into your jawbone in the space vacated by your missing tooth. After that heals, we apply the final crown to the implant. This process allows the implant to fuse to the jawbone surrounding it before the crown is attached.

The fusion of the implant to the bone means that if you neglect to come in for your checkups and develop gum disease, if it’s left untreated you can lose your implants.

Regular checkups and cleanings are vital to maintaining good oral health and preventing or treating gum disease. Give our office a call today and schedule your next cleaning!