Good Healthcare Requires Treatment of Your Mind, Body, and Soul

3 Ways Dental Implants Can Improve Life For People With Missing Teeth

27 January 2016 by Hugh Larson

Dental Implants may seem a bit intimidating. After all, during the procedure, a metal screw is surgically implanted into your jawbone. However, dental implants are nothing to be afraid of. For a person who has suffered tooth loss from trauma or dental decay, these prosthetic dental devices can be life-changing. Here are three ways that dental implants can improve the quality of life for a person with one or more missing teeth:

Aesthetics

There is no tooth replacement device that is more like a natural tooth than a dental implant. The crown that is placed over the implant can be matched to the color of your teeth, but it is also matched to your individual dental alignment and bite.

After the implant screw has healed inside the jawbone but before the dental crown is placed, your dentist will likely perform a procedure on your gums in which a portion of the gums is cut away, and a device is inserted into the gums. The device helps ensure that your gums will look natural around the prosthetic crown. To a casual observer, your dental implant should be indiscernible from a natural tooth.

Bone Density Maintenance

Most tooth replacement options, such as dental bridges and dentures, do not stimulate the jawbone. Jawbone stimulation is important because it encourages the production of bone cells. However, when no stimulation is present, the bone atrophies, and bone mass decreases. This may not only result in a sunken, loose appearance of the face, but it can also cause nearby teeth to become loose in their sockets.

A dental implant stimulates the bone of the jaw each time you chew, as the bite pressure is transferred from the implant to the underlying bone.

Food Enjoyment

Some prosthetic teeth, such as unsecured dentures, may slip when you eat. In addition, particles of food may become trapped between the gums and the false tooth of a dental bridge as you chew. However, a dental implant is designed with the strength and basic structure of a natural tooth.

Once the implant screw fuses with the jawbone through osseointegration, the screw is stable and secure. It can easily withstand eating hard substances such as apples. You can enjoy your favorite foods in the manner you did prior to the loss of your natural tooth. Still, dental implants should not be subjected to items that should be avoided by your natural teeth, such as chewy, sticky taffy.

If you have a missing tooth, there are multiple reasons to consider a implant dentistry. Schedule an appointment with an implant dentist in your area today.

Share

Search