Fillings
Traditional dental restoratives, or fillings, may include gold, amalgam, porcelain, and composite. The strength and durability of traditional dental materials continue to make them useful for situations where restored teeth must withstand extreme forces that result from chewing, such as in the back of the mouth.
Newer dental fillings include ceramic and plastic compounds that mimic the appearance of natural teeth. These compounds, often called composite resins, are usually used on the front teeth where a natural appearance is important, as well as on the back teeth, depending on the location and extent of the tooth decay.
Jaw Bone Health
The Importance Of Teeth for jaw Bone Health
When one or more teeth are missing it can lead to bone loss at the site of the gap. This loss of jaw bone can develop into additional problems, both with your appearance and your overall health. You may experience pain, problems with your remaining teeth, altered facial appearance, and eventually even the inability to speak and/or eat normally.
In the same way that muscles are maintained through exercise, bone tissue is maintained by use. Natural teeth are embedded in the jaw bone and stimulate the jaw bone through activities such as chewing and biting. When teeth are missing, the alveolar bone, or the portion of the jaw bone that anchors the teeth into the mouth, no longer receives the necessary stimulation it needs and begins to break down, or resorb. The body no longer uses or “needs” the jaw bone, so it deteriorates.
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Potential Consequences of Tooth and Jaw Bone Loss
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Problems with remaining teeth, including misalignment, drifting, loosening, and loss
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Collapsed facial profile
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Limited lip support
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Skin wrinkling around the mouth
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Distortion of other facial features
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Jaw (TMJ or temporomandibular joint) pain, facial pain, and headaches
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Difficulty speaking and communicating
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Inadequate nutrition as a result of the inability to chew properly and painlessly
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Sinus expansion