Many people are interested in dental implants to improve their smiles and feel confident about their teeth again. While that is a great motivation, there are many additional health benefits of dental implants. From stopping adjacent teeth from shifting to preserving bone density, here are some of the benefits you should know about.
Natural-Feeling Teeth
Some patients are hesitant to try dental implants because they assume the implant will feel strange, metallic, or foreign in their mouths. In reality, dental implants feel and function virtually the same as your real teeth. Dental implant technology has come a long way, and you will be able to eat and care for your teeth the same way that you care for the teeth you already have.
A Lifetime Replacement
Did you know that dental implants can last a lifetime with the proper care and maintenance? The base of your implant is constructed from titanium that will be anchored to your jaw. Because titanium is accepted well by the body, it will integrate with the bone instead of being pushed out slowly over time. Unlike crowns or bridges that will eventually need to be replaced, the investment you make in your dental implant can last a lifetime.
Prevent the Loss of Additional Teeth
Every tooth in your mouth is anchored with roots, but teeth also rely on surrounding teeth for support. When one tooth is pulled and not replaced, the teeth on either side of it will shift over time due to the lack of support. To protect your dental health and avoid undoing the good you’ve done in the past with orthodontics, it’s a good idea to look into dental implants. They will function the same as your natural teeth and preserve surrounding teeth.
Protect Your Bone
Bone density is important throughout the body and it’s particularly important for your jaw bone. When there is not a tooth or implant in part of your mouth, the space beneath it will slowly deteriorate over time. In a single year, you might lose as much as a quarter of the volume in your jaw bone if a dental implant is not placed after extraction.
Unfortunately, dentures are no replacement for a dental implant, as they are not anchored into the bone. If dentures are not properly designed or worn, they might accelerate bone loss by rubbing against the bone. Dental implants do not just replace the function of the tooth, but also the function of the tooth roots beneath it.
Maintain a Well-Rounded Diet
One of the challenges that adults with dentures or missing teeth face is nutrition, as it can be uncomfortable to eat certain foods. Dental implants feel and function identically to natural teeth, so your diet will not be meaningfully impacted. Anything from apples to corn on the cob can still be eaten with proper dental implant care.
Speak Naturally
Losing a tooth or transitioning to dentures will impact the way that you talk, particularly if the tooth is in the front of your mouth. This can decrease your confidence and impact your livelihood if your job depends on speaking clearly. Dental implants allow you to speak comfortably and the same as you would before you lost a tooth.
Keep More Teeth
Placing a dental bridge is often a solution for those who don’t want to invest in dental implants, but it involves damaging healthy teeth to ensure comfortable placement. Dental implants can typically be placed in any spot in the mouth without needing to file down the teeth on either side of the space. If you care about preserving the oral health of your whole mouth and not sacrificing any teeth to replace others, contact us today to explore dental implants.
Avoid Sagging or Premature Aging
Unfortunately, many people who get dentures do not just experience jaw bone loss, but also bone deterioration in other parts of the face. The chin, jaw, and other parts of your lower face will slowly start to sag. Depending on your age and how quickly this occurs, you might develop facial wrinkles and thinning lips that make you feel self-conscious and uncomfortable. By preserving the jaw and facial structure, dental implants prevent this discomfort.
Smile With Confidence
Finally, there is no replacement for the confidence that you feel when you have a great, sparkling smile. Dental implants are carefully crafted and installed with maintaining your grin in mind. You will never need to feel self-conscious about missing teeth again when you work with our team.