At Southern Colorado Periodontics & Implants, Colorado Springs, CO our mission is saving teeth! That’s right, if we have a good chance to keep your original teeth, we’ll do it. This is in preference to be in a rush to replace your teeth.
How do we save teeth? It depends … on the overall health of your teeth, gums, and jawbone. With advanced periodontics, we have treatment options to help your naturally restore your dental health.
Call to schedule an appointment at SOCO Perio today …
Keep reading to learn more about saving teeth …
If you’re faced with the choice of saving or replacing your teeth, trying to keep them is almost always the better option. Though there’s plenty of great tooth replacement options on the market, the real deal is usually better. To save damaged teeth, you’ll need assistance from a fully qualified periodontist.
Why Is Saving Your Teeth Better than Replacing Them?
When your teeth are really bothering you, the idea of removing them and adding sturdy, cavity-free implants or dentures can sound appealing. However, we should first make every every effort to save your teeth.
Though implants are a great replacement for lost teeth, they aren’t as good as the real thing. Teeth go through an incredible amount of wear and tear. They have to withstand constant chewing and grinding. At the same time, they also need to stand up to a vast range of temperatures and all sorts of oral bacteria. Even the most advanced technology hasn’t been able to improve on nature yet.
Some of the many reasons to pick your original teeth include:
- Fixing a tooth is often more budget-friendly than replacing it. The best tooth replacements, like individual implants, can often be the most expensive options.
- You’ll still need to clean and care for implants or dentures, so replacing your teeth won’t cut back on maintenance.
- You’ll need to replace even the most high quality tooth replacements every decade or so, resulting in more expenses and time-consuming procedures.
- There’s a small risk, of around one to five percent, that your tooth replacement option might fail. This can result in unpleasant infections or other complications.
- Some replacement options, like dentures, can damage the gums or jawbone over time.
- You cannot whiten or darken crowns, bridges, and other replacements. Over time, they may no longer match the color of your other real teeth.
- Tooth extraction is often more painful than other treatments like root canals.
How Can a Periodontist Save Your Teeth?
A good dentist will work hard to save your teeth, even if they have a lot of damage. There’s all sorts of dental procedures that can help fix problems without requiring a tooth replacement. Some options that your periodontist and restorative dentist can offer include:
- Scaling and root planing: If you have gingivitis, this deep cleaning can remove infection and give your gums a chance to heal.
- Gum grafts: A gum graft heals gum recession. It adds extra tissue, so your gums can hold onto your teeth properly.
- Root canal: When there’s infection in your tooth, this treatment heals the root of the tooth. The new filling goes deep into the jaw, stabilizing your tooth.
- Crown: A crown is a cap that can slip over a cracked or worn down tooth. This can protect the tooth from further damage while preserving the root of the tooth.
- Pocket reduction surgery: Sometimes, infection can cause hollow pockets to form in the gums. This treatment fixes the problem by removing and tightening excess gum tissue.
Why Should You See a Periodontist?
To protect your teeth, you need to visit the right sort of dentist for your situation. If you’re worried about tooth loss, your first step might be your general dentist. These sorts of dentists can be great at fixing things like fillings or cracked teeth. However, a periodontist is responsible for healing the gums, jawbones, and other support structures for your teeth. This makes them a better choice.
The most common cause of tooth loss is periodontal disease. When your gums start to get infected and inflamed, they become too loose to hold onto your teeth. In additioin to damaging gums, the infection can also eat away at tooth roots and jawbones. So if you’re in true danger of losing your teeth, you probably need more help than a general dentist can provide.
Periodontists provide focused care for the most important areas of your mouth. They have years of extra training and experience caring for your gums. Therefore, a periodontist has the expertise needed to actually fix the root cause of tooth loss. Furthermore, periodontists can perform specialized treatments not available at general dentist offices.
Don’t automatically assume replacements are the only option for a damaged or loose tooth. If you want the best periodontal care possible, turn to Southern Colorado Periodontics & Implants in Colorado Springs, CO. Our focus on restorations and preventative care can help save your teeth. In cases where the damage is too extensive to fix teeth, we can also assist with implants, bridges, and other options. To see which option is right for you, arrange a consultation today.
