DEEPAK KUMAR JHA talks to DR SHEO SEWAK PANDEY about the developments in dental care industry

A decade ago, if one had to think about replacing a missing tooth, there were choices such as Removable Partial Dentures (RPD) or Fixed Bridge. However, today, there are better options. Technology has brought about developments in osseointegration utilising titanium as a noble metal which can provide foundation of single, multiple, or all the teeth. Doctors say they are far more effective, and enduring.

“With bone loss, one’s face sags and starts looking old. A sagging jaw further leads to poorly formed facial profile. However, the preservation of bone has produced unimaginable possibilities. Today, it has been reliably proven that till the time a tooth remains, the bone remains — else you’ve lost a tooth! The methods used till date are either fixed partial, removable or partial dentures. However, in all these the bone is not recovered. Implants are the only solution which can promise bone recovery,” says Dr Sheo Sewak Pandey, Implantologist, Clove Dental.

Missing teeth can be more than just a source of embarrassment and low self-esteem for people of all age groups. They are unhealthy for the mouth and overall health. Tooth loss is a relatively common phenomenon. According to statistics about 70 per cent of adults in the age group of 35 to 49 years have at least one missing or decaying tooth. Another one in four people above the age of 74 are missing all of their teeth. Studies show that in the ancient times, missing teeth were replaced using dentures made from a combination of rare hippopotamus ivory, human bone and metal fasteners. “The fact that we have better options today makes the loss of teeth a little more bearable,” Pandey says.

While a person’s confidence suffers with tooth loss, the latter also affects health in the long term. Infections followed by a serious gum disease have also been linked to heart diseases and diabetes. “Missing teeth affect a person’s jaw structure (and the tooth next to this gap may try occupying the space too). Tooth shifts like this create a domino effect wherein the teeth move, the jawbone shifts over time, and the structure becomes unstable. Within some time, all of this can lead to tooth decay and thereby loss of more pearly whites,” Pandey tells you.

Removable teeth replacements that come in a full or partial set are called dentures. For a good time, conventional dentures have been the most popular option for missing teeth. There has been a lot of advancement in their look and feel over time and today, they look more natural than they did years ago.

“Dental implants are permanent teeth replacements implanted surgically into the jawbone. Provided a person maintains good oral hygiene, dental implants can last for a long time (in some instances cases of it lasting longer than 20 years were also recorded) without replacement. Although expensive, it is important to consider the fact that they can help in saving money on any health complications that arise due to missing teeth,” he shares.

It also helps that they are easier to maintain than conventional dentures as the person need not worry about them falling out. In addition, they tend to look and feel more natural.

Although dental implants can provide better health outcomes, it is important to weigh your options and talk to the dentist. Once you understand the differences in detail, they can help you in arriving at a choice and thereby ensure healthier teeth and gums — and overall health in the longer run. The development in implant material has brought the prognosis into acceptable limits. Implants are the most viable solution for missing teeth. There is no doubt that they will continue to rule till research in stem cells takes over these as a viable replacement for missing teeth.