There are many different situations that can result in a patient coming into our office for dental implants here at the Peninsula Center of Cosmetic Dentistry looking to have a missing tooth replaced. While we do receive patients who have lost teeth because of an accident that had knocked a tooth or two out, one of the more common reasons we see for missing teeth here at our Los Altos, CA office is tooth decay. Today, Dr. Joseph Field, Dr. Bruce Hartley, and Dr. John McFarlane are blogging to talk about tooth decay, its effects, and what can be done to reverse the damage done by it.

Tooth Decay’s Effects on Your Smile

Part of the reason why it is so important that you are sure to brush and floss your teeth regularly is because doing so keeps plaque off of your teeth. Plaque is a natural substance that forms on your teeth throughout the day. What makes plaque dangerous is the fact that it will use sugar and debris left behind on your teeth as fuel to create acids. These acids will slowly work to burn through the enamel on your teeth, eventually reaching the inner layers of your teeth. It is this process specifically that is referred to as tooth decay, some symptoms of which include chronic bad breath, off-color spots on your teeth, and toothaches.

If tooth decay manages to get past the enamel of your teeth, it creates what is known as a cavity. Fortunately, we can treat cavities with dental fillings, preventing the need for a tooth extraction. However, if tooth decay manages to reach the pulp of the infected tooth, you will need a root canal in addition to the dental filling. But, if you keep ignoring your condition at this point, the decay may end up doing enough damage to your tooth that the only solution left available will be to have that tooth removed before the decay can spread to your surrounding teeth.

If you do happen to lose a tooth due to tooth decay, you can rest assured that you will not be forever doomed to life with an incomplete smile. By restoring your missing tooth or teeth with dental implants, you can restore your smile with natural working replacement teeth that look just as good as your real teeth. Thanks to the process of osseointegration, your body will be unable to tell your dental implants apart from your natural teeth. It is this process that allows your implants to replicate real teeth.

Call and Schedule a Consultation in Los Altos, CA

As you can see, tooth decay can affect your teeth to the point where you will need to pursue a tooth restoration treatment. In this case, it’s clear that dental implants can be used to provide you with the best possible replacement teeth. If you would like to find out whether or not you qualify for treatment with dental implants, we encourage you to contact us and schedule a no-obligation consultation with Drs. Joseph Field, Bruce Hartley, and John McFarlane today. We look forward to working with you soon!