Charleston Smiles 2018

36 | CS 4 www.chsdentists.com | www.HealthLinksCharleston.com “We’ve been able to restore teeth very closely to the way they were before they were lost,” said Prosthodontist Dr. Candice Vinson of Mount Pleasant. “It brings back a person’s confidence to feel they have their natural teeth back.” Dr. Jeff Gardner, also of Mount Pleasant, agreed that an implant is the most efficient way to replace a lost incisor, canine or molar. “I tell patients that the only thing in dentistry that is close to forever is a dental implant,” he commented. According to Dr. Vinson, one of the most important aspects of placing an implant is the planning process. She takes three-di- mensional images of the patient’s mouth, in part to determine if there is sufficient bone in the area where the implant is to be placed. If there is not enough bone, she said, grafting might be necessary, either from another part of the patient’s oral cavity or with bone replacement material. “We get all the information in the beginning so we can plan accordingly,” she said. “It sometimes takes two to four weeks to gather all the information we need.” Doing nothing to fill a hole in your mouth shouldn’t be an op- tion, according to Dr. Gardner, and he added that waiting isn’t a good idea, either, because about a year after losing a tooth, you’ll start losing bone in that area. In addition, a space might cause your teeth to shift, and you’ll lose chewing efficiency. You can lose your teeth for various reasons, from cavities to periodontal disease to automobile accidents and mishaps on the fields of friendly strife. Sometimes, permanent teeth simply never come in. You can fill that hole in your mouth in any number of ways, but, according to two local dentists, the best option is an implant, a procedure with the potential to give you a replacement tooth that will last for the rest of your life with proper care and maintenance.