St Louis Dentist         Barry D Brace DMD - General Dentist         Implant Dentistry

Barry Brace DMD & Associates
Gentle Dental Care For Over 20 Years
469 South Kirkwood Road = Kirkwood MO = 63122 = (314) 965-6503
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Impact on total health of tooth loss
 

In the past, even in the St Louis area, the loss of teeth (edentulism) was dismissed as a natural part of the aging process, and dentures were considered a normal sign of old age.

While such ignorance is rapidly becoming a thing of the past in St Louis, there is still not a general awareness of the seriousness of edentulism.

Multiple tooth loss is most commonly caused by periodontal disease, i.e. gum and bone disease.  At Barry Brace DMD & Associates we know that periodontal disease has a high statistical correlation with chronic debilitating diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and arthritis.

So it is not very surprising that studies now show a shortened life expectancy by as much as 10 years for persons who have lost their natural teeth, when compared to those who have kept their teeth.

In addition to longevity, quality-of-life differences are just as significant.  The functional efficiency of dentures has been measured to be only 20% of that of natural teeth.  Dr. Brace feels that there cannot be any doubt that nutritional deficiencies will be much more prevalent in those without their natural teeth.

Loss of teeth often causes a feeling of loss of wholeness and a sense of deterioration and aging.  Given these factors, we feel at Barry Brace DMD & Associates that preservation of the natural teeth is integral to whole-person wellness.

 

 

 


Lost Teeth
In Kirkwood Missouri and the surrounding
St Louis - Clayton - Chesterfield - Fenton MO areas.

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Cosmetic and Implant dentistry are specialty areas not recognized by the ADA that require no specific educational training to advertise these services. Dr. Brace is a general dentist and is not licensed in Missouri in the advertised specialties of Orthodontics and Periodontics and Prosthodontics.