Your car or SUV's an investment, one that drives your livelihood and your life, transporting you safely to work in Beverly Hills, your children to school in Santa Monica and your family on everything from errands around Los Angeles to vacations across the country. But it can't do what it does without basic maintenance. When a tire gets a hole, you patch it. If it's flat, you fill it. When one's old and bare, you change it. Tires are essential. So are teeth.

Your teeth take care of you, allowing you to properly and painlessly eat the food that fuels the body. But, do you take care of your teeth? 73% of women and 66% of men see a dentist at least once a year for basic maintenance. But, what about a lost tooth? Should you do something about it? Millions of American adults think so.

For information on dental implants in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills or Santa Monica as a replacement for any number of missing teeth, contact dental implant specialist, Dr. Azar-Mehr. Professor of Clinical Dentistry at USC.

Dental Implants - Necessary or Narcissistic?

More and more Americans are opting for dental implants. In fact, according to "Benefits and Behavior: Spotlight on Dental" - a recently released study conducted by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian) - 70% of women and 61% of men see tooth replacement as a medical necessity. And, 5 out of 5 dentists agree, viewing dental implants as a standard of care for tooth loss due to periodontal disease, injury, accident or tooth decay.

Developed over three decades ago in Sweden, a dental implant is a prosthetic tooth that will never decay. Compared with a real tooth, dental implants feel real, look better and last longer. Implant Fixtures are made from a titanium alloy, and they support dental restorations which are matched to your natural teeth in terms of size, shape, color and contour. And, because Implant fixtures fuse to the jaw bone, they're secure and long lasting, just like healthy teeth.

Dental implants aren't simply cosmetic and you aren't narcissistic for considering them. In fact, the same Guardian study found that 89% of Americans see the connections between overall health and dental hygiene. The failure to do something about gaps due to tooth loss can indeed be hazardous to your health. And, besides, looking good results in feeling better while doing nothing results in risks to your dental health.

Health Risks of Tooth Loss

At one time, you had 32 permanent teeth. Over time, though, due to injury, infection, accident or neglect, they've proven to be not so permanent. The results? For now, nothing, maybe. Possibly, though, you're experiencing a little pain, some difficulty eating, an annoying speech problem or embarrassing bad breath. Hopefully, that's all, because there are health risks associated with the failure to replace a lost tooth:

• Bone loss and the appearance of early aging: lacking the stimulation provided by a healthy tooth, bone loss can occur in the jaw and facial muscles can sag, altering the look of your face and aging you beyond your years
• Digestive problems: the jaw's biting force can become unevenly distributed, and your ability to effectively chew food can become compromised, leading to digestive issues due to impartially chewed food passing into the body
• Additional tooth loss: as the gums recede, perfectly healthy teeth can fall out
• Ineffective, unattractive teeth: left unsupported, previously healthy teeth can shift and tip

Dental implants are not for everyone as you must be in good general health, possess healthy gums and have enough bone in the jaw to safely support anchors. Additionally, you must be dedicated to basic maintenance - brushing and flossing - and continue to maintain regularly scheduled cleanings and check-ups. Type II diabetes and smoking can slow the healing process and reduce long term success.

Millions of adults have lost teeth. More and more men and women are doing something about it with dental implants, and in the process, are not only taking care of their teeth, but of their overall health. Smile. It's okay. It's not vain. It shows confidence and it's good for you. And, yes, it's essential.

If you would like to learn more about dental implants in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, and Santa Monica, contact Dr. Azar-Mehr Cosmetic Dentistry to schedule a consultation, or call 310-443-3030.

If teeth are missing, Los Angeles dentist Dr. Azar-Mehr can replace them with dentures for the health of your mouth, as well as for appearances sake. If you don't replace missing teeth, you will find it harder to keep your gums and your other teeth healthy; without the support of the missing teeth, your jaw may become slack, thereby changing the shape of your face. Replacing missing teeth keeps you looking young and healthy longer.

You can replace missing teeth with full ("complete") dentures on the upper jaw, the lower jaw, or both; if only a few teeth are missing, you can replace them with partial dentures that fit between the teeth you still have.

Complete Dentures

Complete dentures replace all of the teeth on either the upper or lower jaw. Complete dentures are made from prefabricated acrylic and sized to fit the shape of your jaw and mouth. They mimic the color and appearance of your natural teeth. The unique impression of your teeth, bite, and the shape of your jaw shape will be used to create the dentures. Typically, conventional complete dentures require a one-to-two month wait after the extraction of your teeth, so that your mouth and gums will have time to heal, permitting a more accurate fitting. However, if you cannot afford to be without the missing teeth even for a short time, dentures can be inserted immediately after the extraction.

Over time your mouth will change, but your dentures will not. The jaw bones and gum can shrink or recede. You can have your dentures remade or refitted when necessary.

Partial Dentures

Partial dentures are removable devices that replace a few missing teeth, instead of all the teeth on the jaw line. They can be attached either by metal clasps or precision attachments. Precision attachments require crowns to be put on the remaining abutments teeth that hold the partial dentures in place. Regardless, these supporting teeth must be in good health.

Replacing missing teeth promptly is essential to your overall dental hygiene, as a gap leaves the remaining teeth unsupported. If left unsupported, the remaining teeth may drift along the jaw line, reducing the spaces between them; they may become weaker, making brushing and flossing more difficult. Missing teeth can jeopardize the integrity of the jaw line and change the shape of your face. Missing teeth can make you look older and less healthy.

Dental implants from Los Angeles dental implant specialist, Dr. Azar-Mehr, can replace any number of missing teeth (even all your teeth)permanently. An anchor, such as a metal screw, is attached directly to your jaw bone. Once your jaw and gums have healed fully from implanting the anchor, the bond between the bone and anchor becomes very strong, and then a prosthetic tooth is attached to the anchor.

The prosthetic tooth is crafted to look just like your natural teeth, matching them in size, color, contour, and shape of your natural teeth. Your smile will be fully restored and may even look better than before. You will also find it easier to eat food.

Dental implants require enough supporting bone in the jaw to safely attach the anchor or anchors. Your prosthodontist will be able to discern whether you have to have enough supporting bone; if you don't, a graft will give you the support needed.