Saving Your Teeth & Implants
Saving Your Teeth
The doctors at St. Louis County Periodontics want to help you save your teeth. Your teeth have very strong attachments to the gum tissue and underlying bone. These attachments help protect teeth from plaque and bacteria. Implants are a predictable and successful way to replace missing teeth, but they have a weaker attachment to the gums. Whether you are experiencing bone loss due to gum disease or if your teeth are broken down by decay, there are many ways we can help you keep your natural teeth.
Gum disease is a chronic condition in which patients lose bone and gum tissue due to the body’s immune response to plaque. Even in advanced cases of gum disease, there are ways to reduce inflammation, regenerate lost tissues, and maintain healthy teeth for many years.
Many patients struggle with tooth decay. Sometimes this decay extends far under the gums, making it hard to place a filling or put a crown on a tooth. Working with your restorative specialist, the doctors at St. Louis County Periodontics can help you fix your deep cavities by exposing more tooth structure and shaping the teeth so they’re easy to clean.
Unfortunately, not every tooth can be saved. If a cavity has damaged the tooth beyond repair, if there is an extensive infection in the bone that a root canal cannot treat, if the teeth have advanced mobility that limits your chewing ability, or if a tooth has a deep fracture, it might be time to consider tooth removal. If tooth removal has been recommended and you'd like to consider alternative options, schedule a consultation with one of our skilled periodontists.
Saving Your Implants
Dental implants have been used since the 1980s to replace teeth and support dentures. Implants are a wonderful treatment option and they can be successful for many years – but they aren’t always a perfect solution, and implant complications occur. Implant crowns can fracture or become loose. The gum tissue around an implant can be irritated or start to recess. Dental implants, if exposed to bacteria, can also lose supporting bone which can compromise the implant.
If you have an implant that is chronically irritated or you’ve been told that your implant is failing, call our office right away.
Connect With Us
We look forward to meeting you. Call (314) 434-2101 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We'll be in touch soon.
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