Dental Advice faq from Seattle Area Dentist

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I recently had all of my teeth extracted due to severe periodontal disease and am considering several implants to eliminate the use of my full dentures. My question is two-part. Will a more natural feel of mastication return with implants... and will I still have to be concerned about the return of bone degeneration?

Though I can not give you any guarantees, a more normal sense of mastication should return with implants due to the new stability of your teeth. Unfortunately, patients with periodontal disease do have a higher risk of bone loss occurring around such implants. Many times, it is necessary or beneficial to first regenerate bone in the areas of your implants via a bone grafting procedure many months prior to placing the implant. If the dentist or oral surgeon who extracted your teeth performs implants, you may want to ask him/her for an opinion about your particular situation and likelihood of success. Good luck!