At Fort Bend Dental, we prioritize preventative care to help patients avoid complex restorative treatments, like dental implants. That’s why patients from all across Fort Bend County, including Missouri City and Richmond, TX, come to seek our expertise and care.
Even with the best preventative care, trauma and genetics can lead to unexpected tooth loss. Luckily, dental implants can replace missing teeth to restore patients’ ability to speak, chew, and smile with ease. Here, our team will explore eight dental implant and tooth loss statistics.
Tooth Loss Is Common
According to the American College of Prosthodontists, approximately 178 million people in the U.S. are missing at least one tooth, and nearly 40 million individuals are missing all of their teeth. In fact, a whopping 30% of adults over the age of 65 have no natural teeth at all.
Tooth Decay and Gum Disease Are Major Risk Factors
The primary reason for tooth loss is extensive dental decay and gum disease. Some conditions and activities place patients at a higher risk of developing cavities and gum disease, including:
- Dry mouth caused by medications, menopause, diabetes, and other health conditions
- Smoking
- Neglecting to brush and floss daily
- A genetic predisposition to dental decay
- Oral yeast infections
Tooth Loss Affects Oral Health
Teeth rely upon neighboring teeth to maintain their position in the mouth. A missing tooth can cause remaining teeth to shift out of alignment. This can drastically impact patients’ regular speaking and chewing abilities.
Furthermore, missing teeth can lead to jawbone and nerve damage. These two factors can lead to significant jawbone deterioration, making further tooth loss more likely to occur.
The Impact of Tooth Loss on Systemic Health
Research suggests that tooth loss related to gum disease increases the likelihood of developing chronic health conditions, including:
- Heart disease
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Stroke
Missing Teeth and Employment
A 2016 study found that 77% of people polled agreed that decayed or missing teeth will hinder an individual’s ability to secure a job. In fact, the study found that a damaged smile had more negative impact during a job interview than wearing inappropriate clothing.
Dental Implants Are Effective
Dental implant surgery has a remarkable success rate of 98%. With proper care and maintenance, dental implants can last a lifetime.
Dental Implants Enhance Oral Health
Dental implants function much like a natural tooth root. This means that they can prevent jaw bone deterioration, nerve damage, and further tooth loss.
Dental Implants Look and Feel Natural
Dental implants support lifelike restorations, like dental crowns, bridges, or dentures. Dental professionals fabricate these restorations out of biocompatible materials that closely match the color of natural teeth. Additionally, these restorations are immune to decay and resist discoloration.
Schedule Your Dental Implant Consultation
The longer patients wait to replace missing teeth, the more likely it is to develop additional oral and systemic health issues. If you’re suffering from tooth loss, then don’t delay–schedule a dental implant consultation at Fort Bend Dental now.
Patients can send our team a message to request a consultation. They may also contact our Richmond office at (281) 336-9971 (281) 336-9971, our Grand Parkway office at (281) 519-3135 (281) 519-3135, or our Missouri City office at (281) 336-9899 (281) 336-9899.
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