-- Dr. Kianor Shah believes we may have a silent epidemic on our hands. The importance of oral care and tooth replacement has fallen under the radar as at least one in three Americans is affected – and that is in the most medically and technologically advanced society in the world. One hundred twenty million people in the U.S. are missing at least one tooth, and that figure is expected to increase to two hundred million Americans in the next fifteen years. Thirty-six million Americans don’t have any teeth at all. All in all, there are more than five hundred million missing teeth in America.
The problem isn’t just in the exorbitant numbers of tooth loss but in the comparatively minuscule number of dental implants placed per year. Dental implants are the best long-term solution for patient health yet only two million dental implants are placed per year. Ninety percent of people who suffer from edentulism (toothless to some degree) have dentures, which are well known for being a high-maintenance, uncomfortable option for tooth replacement.
With over 120 million people missing at least one tooth, there should be a huge demand for single tooth implants, at the very least. While more and more patients are choosing implants, the demand is still not meeting the need.
Too many patients are still settling for impermanent solutions like bridges and dentures, especially in younger demographics. Single tooth loss is common in people as young as 30 years old. The impermanent solutions are not the best solution for these patients who still need their teeth for another fifty or sixty years. Dr. Shah discusses the value of single tooth implants in an interview with Wellness Hour (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVg488xcO0Q).
People across the country are settling for dentures, bridges, or even going toothless. Dr. Shah sees this as a tragedy since such a superior solution is available in the form of dental implants. Dental implants are comfortable, permanent solutions that often last as long as the patient lives when properly cared for. Implants look and feel like real teeth, and are cared for like real teeth. Also, dental implants do not damage surrounding teeth like the other replacement options.
Why, then, do so many patients opt for obsolete options, such as bridges and dentures, over dental implants?
Dr. Shah explains in another interview with Wellness Hour (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCzepiXJqJo&t=994s) that most patients are simply unaware of their options and the real value of dental implants. Many believe that a single dental implant isn’t worth getting or that multiple replacements will be too costly or too big of a procedure. But patients are making these assumptions on limited information that is often wrong.
For instance, patients who are missing a lot of teeth often think they have to replace every tooth, which would certainly be very costly. But the truth is, four or six implants might be able to replace twelve teeth. With a little knowledge, what at first seemed impossible may actually be feasible.
Patients who need dental implants are more likely to avoid dentists, which usually is why they need dental implants in the first place. This tendency, compounded with the lack of knowledge, led Dr. Shah to create a patient education page for people with missing teeth. Anyone looking for more information on dental implants can now visit https://desertdreamdentistry.com/patient-education/ and get the valuable information they need without having to step foot into a dentist’s office.
The patient education page provides nearly a dozen informational videos on dental implants. These professional videos cover everything from frequently asked questions to the mechanics of dental implants. The videos address the different tooth replacement options, the consequences of missing teeth, and even how to choose an implant dentist. It is designed to be a one-stop information shop for people suffering from tooth loss.
With the patient education page now available, Dr. Shah hopes that more people will be able to make better-informed decisions about tooth replacement. He believes that education is the solution to the silent epidemic that is stealing the smiles of hundreds of millions of Americans.
Dr. Shah is also a big believer in continued education, which is why he founded the Global Implantology Institute. The institute offers online courses, hands-on courses, clinical programs, and organizes international conferences to help dental implant practitioners stay up to date on implant procedures and technology. The institute promotes ongoing education for all dentists in order to provide the best patient care.
About Dr. Kianor Shah
Dr. Kianor Shah is a practicing Dentist and an Entrepreneur from Southern California. As a traveling healthcare provider, Dr. Shah has practiced in more than 300 offices. As a businessman, Dr. Shah has built numerous co-brand, private label, and Peer-to-Peer partnerships in the Healthcare Industry. Learn more about his credentials at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kianorshah/.
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