How Dental Implants Improve Speech
Did you know more than 120 million Americans are currently missing at least one tooth? If you’ve recently lost a tooth, you are clearly not alone. Many others are also experiencing the discomfort and speech difficulties missing teeth can cause. Fortunately, modern dental implant technology makes it possible to replace your teeth with prosthetic options that look and function just like normal teeth. Here’s what you should know about how missing teeth affect speech, and how dental implants in Stamford, CT, can return your speech to normal.
How Missing Teeth Affect Speech
Your teeth are essential for clear speech. Even the loss of a single tooth can profoundly change the way you sound when you talk. Your teeth help you make a variety of sounds, including “z,” “sh,” “ch,” and “th” sounds. When one or more teeth fall out, it can become challenging or even impossible to make these sounds effectively. By replacing your missing teeth with dental implants in Stamford, CT, you get rid of the gaps created by empty tooth sockets and restore your ability to speak normally.
The Implant Placement Process
The placement of dental implants is a multi-stepped process that involves the following actions:
- Graft bone into the treatment site to prepare for dental implant placement (if necessary)
- Surgically place the dental implant post in the jaw
- Give the bone and the area around it time to heal
- Place the abutment on top of the post
- Affix a crown to the top of the abutment
Bone grafting is generally only required if your jaw bone is too soft or has lost too much density. The sooner you receive implants after tooth loss, the less likely you will need to receive a bone graft from your periodontist.
Call today
If you’re tired of tooth loss affecting your speech, we’d love to help you schedule a consultation with Drs. Richard Amato or Michael Kang. Call Advanced Periodontics and Dental Implant Center of Connecticut to reserve your appointment.