Your teeth share facial space with your sinuses. Sometimes if you lose a tooth near a sinus cavity, the bone will shrink over time. But that’s no good if you want a dental implant because the screw needs bone to drill into. In this case, your dentist may suggest sinus augmentation. In this dentistry procedure, the sinus cavity is lifted to make room for a bone graft. Healing from a sinus augmentation generally takes about 6-9 months. And after that – you’ll be ready for your dental implant placement!
Your gum tissue is just as important to your oral hygiene and health as your teeth. That’s why your dentists are paying close attention to your gums during check-ups. If you have a receding gumline, it could lead to tooth sensitivity, uneven gums, exposed nerves in the tooth roots, and a smile you feel less-than-great about. Sometimes gum tissue tends to recede because we grind our teeth or have periodontal disease, which is why flossing is so important. Other times though, it can just come down to genetics., our dentists are trained to help both prevent and treat gum tissue recession.
If you lose a tooth or plan to have a dental implant procedure, then your dentist may suggest a ridge augmentation. This is a procedure that helps prevent bone loss. Since there is no longer a tooth taking up space, ridge augmentation can help prevent bone reabsorption while you wait for the artificial tooth to be placed. This means that once you’re healed and ready for your dental implant, there will be plenty of space to place it and create a beautiful smile. Without a ridge augmentation, you could face more time-consuming, expensive procedures in the long term. You can talk to our dentists to see if this is a procedure you can consider to prevent bone loss.