How Losing Teeth Can Affect Your Memory

Research suggests that tooth loss could be linked to memory loss. This may seem like an odd relationship. However, the science behind this theory says that the memory loss may be because of reduced sensory input to the nervous system through the connective fibers that attach the teeth to the bone. The research also suggests that people who tend to avoid nutrient dense foods; proteins and calories that keep the brain active will also lose teeth.

There are several sensory impulses sent to our brain with the movement of the jaw and teeth. These impulses are fed to the brain in the area that forms and retrieves memories. People who have fewer teeth send fewer signals to this region of the brain called the hippocampus. Individuals were tested on their performance on memory tests where they recall events from the past. According to this study, older people scored higher on this test who had most of their own teeth than those without.

One way the study can be interpreted is through an individual’s chewing ability. Chewing actually increases blood flow to the brain, which in turn increases activity to help with function and recall memories. It is also possible that brain activity changes due to diet. Those who have less teeth or use dentures tend to eat foods that are not as nutrient dense and full of vitamins. This too can affect how the brain works. Nutrient dense foods such as vegetables and fruits promote healthy brain activity, so it’s important to eat them.

It’s important for individuals to maintain proper oral hygiene to maintain optimal health. If tooth loss does occur, dental implants could be an option. These implants function just as natural teeth do. While there is a gradual process to getting these implants, it will be well worth a patient’s time. This could help them avoid issues such as memory loss or a poor diet.

There is no alternative to eating healthy. Patients who receive prosthetic teeth should be encouraged to eat a wide variety of foods. This will ensure that they stay as healthy as possible and avoid any issues associated with tooth decay, tooth loss or even memory loss. If you are missing some teeth, talk to our dentist about the options available to you.  Our dentist will be able to not only improve your smile, but keep your mouth and brain healthier for the long term. 

What are Dental Implants?

When a tooth is lost, you need a replacement to stabilize the mouth. The risk of bone loss goes up when a tooth is missing, and the adjoining teeth will gradually slip toward each other to try to fill the space.

One of the most common measures of tooth replacement is the dental implant. This is an entirely new tooth structure sunk into the gum and left to fuse with the jawbone. This first feature of the implant is called the anchor, and is made of titanium. Next, a part called the abutment joins the anchor to the replacement tooth, which is cemented or screwed into place.

The three-part procedure requires at least two sessions, and several weeks of downtime during which the titanium root bonds with the jawbone. This process is called osseointegration.

There are two types of dental implants: endosteal and sub-periosteal. An endosteal implant, the most common, is the one described above. A sub-periosteal implant usually goes in a patient with a shallow jawbone, and the implant is placed in the gum but above the jawbone itself.

Dental implants lead to superior speaking and smiling, compared to the difficulty of dentures. Their permanency is meant to mimic the natural feel of your old teeth.

Ask your dentist for more about dental implants.

What Can You Do and Not Do with Dental Implants

Dental implants can do many things. They can replace one tooth or many teeth, and they can last many years while looking, acting, and feeling just like natural teeth. Are there any things that dental implants cannot do?

The list of what you cannot do with dental implants is not nearly as long as the list of what you can do with them.

1. You cannot place implants in a jawbone that has inadequate bone density.

The bone must have adequate quality and density to support the implant. If it does not, you might still be a candidate for subperiosteal implants, which fit over the jawbone like a frame, or mini-implants, which require less bone tissue.

2. You cannot place implants quickly.

While some implants can be loaded, or restored, immediately, all implants take weeks or months to fully fuse with the jawbone.

3. You cannot neglect implants.

Once an implant has been placed, you must care for it properly. Neglecting it can lead to serious dental problems or implant failure, just like neglecting teeth can lead to decay, gum disease, and tooth loss. Good brushing and flossing habits are vital for both natural teeth and their replacements.

As one of the most versatile restorations available, implants are able to be used with crowns, bridges, and dentures. Call us to learn more or to schedule an appointment with our team.

Uses of Full Dental Implants

You might be surprised to learn that 178 million Americans are currently missing at least one tooth, and thirty-five million have lost all of the teeth in their mouth. If you are one of the individuals that fall into the latter category, our Los Angeles dental implant expert is here to help you restore your smile and dental health. The benefits of full dental implants are multiple. You can read about them below.

Strength

Due to how the implants are placed, patients receive artificial teeth that are just as strong and stable as their other, natural teeth. Titanium posts are inserted into the jawbone and given time to heal and fuse. This means that the implants are just as much a part of the bone as the other teeth.

Bone tissue regrowth

Missing teeth not only have negative effects on your look, but on your oral health, as well. The lack of tooth can cause the tissue of the jawbone resorb, making this area weaker and affecting the shape of the facial structure. Replacing these teeth not only stops resorption, but actually reverses the process.

Aesthetics

Missing one tooth can have a huge effect on the look of your smile, and therefore the whole face. So missing all of the teeth has even more of an impact on your look. Getting full dental implants can make you look happy and healthy again.

Replacement Options When All Teeth are Lost

The complete loss of teeth is a traumatic experience. Two treatments are available for those who have suffered the loss of all of their teeth. But one of them is definitely superior to the other.

Removable dentures were the treatment of choice for many decades. They stick to the gums through suction and use of an adhesive. They can be attractive, and provide wearers the ability to speak and eat relatively normally. They are not always reliable, however. Slippage or shifting are two common drawbacks. Today, there is a better option.

Dental implants can also be used to restore a mouth that has suffered complete tooth loss. Full mouth implants, as they are called, actually involve placing four implants in strategic locations around each arch. The locations are chosen based on where there is enough bone left to support them. Sometimes a bone graft can be performed if necessary to build up the bone. After the implants are in place, removable dentures can be snapped onto the implants. The implants provide a secure foundation for the dentures, allowing wearers to confidently speak. Laugh and eat all of their favorite foods without fearing that the dentures will ever move or fall out.

Only implants can restore appearance, function and security to a level close to that of natural teeth. Contact our implants dentist in Beverly Hills to find out if they can work for you.

Facts You Should Know about Dental Implants

If you are missing a tooth or several teeth, your dentist may recommend dental implants to restore the look and functionality of your smile. You may be curious about this restoration, as it sounds like a serious procedure. Read on for more information.

Facts about dental implants:

·         Dental implants have actually been used since about 600 A.D., when a Mayan woman had pieces of shell hammered into her jaw!

·         Modern dentistry, however, uses more advanced tools and materials, and has been proven to be both safe and effective.

·         We estimate that 65% of Americans ages 35 to 44 have at least one tooth missing.

·         We also estimate that one in four individuals over the age of 74 have lost all their teeth.

·         Dental implants are made of titanium, which is able to fuse to the bone without being rejected and causing infection.

·         Dental implants actually stimulate jawbone growth, preserve the natural jawbone, and prevent bone loss.

·         Patients claim that out of all of the tooth replacement options, an implant feels the most natural and functions the most like a normal tooth.

If you have any questions about this procedure, or simply require more information, talk to our tooth implant dentist in Beverly Hills today.

Candidates for Full Mouth Implants

Are you suffering from complete tooth loss? Do you wear dentures? Are you tired of all the hassles that come from wearing them? If you answered yes to these questions, you may be a candidate for full mouth dental implants.

Full mouth implants do not mean that an implant is placed in every tooth location. Rather, all that is needed for full mouth implants is four implants on each arch. It involves placing the four implants in strategic locations around the arch. The locations chosen are dependent on where there is enough bone available to support the implant. Once the implant sites are healed, they can then provide a solid, secure foundation onto which removable dentures can be attached. While the dentures are snapped in place, they are held securely in place by the implants.

With removable dentures secured by implants, you, as a denture wearer, can regain the freedoms of your youth. Speak normally. Laugh at a good joke. Eat whatever you want. Forget about worrying that your dentures will move or fall out. Snapped onto the implants, they are not going anywhere!

Not everyone is a candidate for full mouth implants. You must have enough bone available to support four implants on each arch. Treatments are available that may help those with lower bone density to qualify. If you wear dentures, contact our dental implant doctor in Beverly Hills to find out if full mouth dental implants are right for you.

Health Conditions You Should Tell Your Implant Dentist

Dental implants require surgery for placement and strong jaws for stability. As a result, some conditions can impact candidacy for this treatment. Here are health conditions that you should tell our dentists about before getting implants.

Heart Disease and HIV/AIDS

These conditions reduce immunity to bacteria, making surgery more risky. In cases of heart disease, implant placement may raise dangers of infections that could contribute to other complications in the blood vessels.

Diabetes and Osteoporosis

Both of these conditions can reduce capacity for bone healing, which is essential after implant surgery. Diabetes can also decrease immunity. With osteoporosis, the jaws may not support the implants for the long term.

Smoking and Heavy Drinking

Smoking can affect implant placement in two ways. Because of the nicotine in tobacco, smoking can inhibit healing after surgery. The action of smoking can also disturb the oral tissues during the healing process. Alcohol, which thins the blood, could make surgery hazardous by increasing risks of uncontrolled bleeding. Nutrient deficiencies associated with alcoholism could also impact healing.

A review of medical and dental history and current health is essential before implant placement. To find out more about conditions that may affect implant candidacy, you can schedule a consultation with our dental implants dentists.

Candidates for Dental Implants

Dental implanting is a process required when a natural tooth is no longer able to function properly. The tooth must then be replaced with a replica, or implant. These implants are made of strong materials, such as titanium alloy and porcelain, and are designed to look and act just like the teeth they are replacing.

Your dentist in Northridge may advise you to get a dental implant if a tooth has sustained damage from bacteria and decay, or the root has been infected and root canal treatment is not an option or a desired treatment. An implant will also be required if a tooth is missing entirely, whether due to accident, decay, or disease.

You may be a candidate for dental implants if you:

•    Are in otherwise good oral health, including gums
•    Do not smoke or have alcohol or substances problems
•    Are not pregnant
•    Have fully developed jaw bones, and enough bone to anchor the implant
•    Have not been exposed to high-radiation to the head or neck
•    And do not have any chronic disease or systemic issues, such as uncontrolled diabetes, hemophilia, connective tissue diseases, or significant immune deficiencies.

To further discuss your candidacy, contact our expert in dental implants in Northridge.

Getting Dental Implants and Its Cost

Getting dental implants can be a very lengthy process. After your expert in dental implant in Los Angeles inserts the first, screw-like piece of your implant into your jaw bone, it can take up to seven months for it to integrate into the bone and heal properly. Receiving the implant may require two or more visits to your dentist.

The cost of getting dental implants will vary per patient. As no two patients and their dental health needs are exactly alike, there will be differences in number of appointments and healing time, and therefore costs. After your first assessment, your dentist will provide you with a treatment plan, which will give you a good idea about the details of the process, including expected prices. Depending on how your treatment goes along the way, your dentist will let you know if any amounts change, appointments or materials need to be added, or other unexpected monetary factors change.

That being said, dental implants can cost $1,000 to $3,000 per implant. This procedure may seem less preferable compared to bridges, dentures, or partial dentures when it comes to what you may have to pay. But it is important to know that implants offer a permanent solution to missing teeth, unlike any other treatment available.

Dental Implants Costs

If you are missing any of your teeth, dental implants are generally considered to be your best option for replacing them. The cost of dental implants will vary on a case-by-case basis, and tends to depend on a few different factors.

The first thing you will want to consider is the quality of your jawbone. Dental implants require that you have enough strength and density in your jawbone to be able to support them. Should you lack the necessary strength and density, you will be required to undergo a bone graft surgery before the implants can be placed. This additional surgery will increase the overall cost of your dental implants. Another factor to consider is the geographic location where you are planning to have your implants placed. The bigger the metropolitan area, the higher the cost will be. Coastal areas also tend to be a bit higher, with smaller cities and rural areas usually costing less. The number of implants required will also increase your cost. Additionally, whether one-stage or two-stage implants are being placed will also have an impact on your cost. Since there is an additional surgery required to place two-stage implants, the added surgery will increase the price.

If you are wondering what the cost of dental implants would be for you, contact our expert in dental implant in Beverly Hills to schedule a consultation.