What Benefits Do Dental Implants Offer?
Missing teeth is a serious problem for many people. For decades, missing teeth have only been remedied by partial dentures or dental bridges. Unfortunately, neither of these remedies are enough to avoid the physical repercussions of a missing tooth. Filling the gap left by a missing tooth just isn’t enough.
What Happens to Your Body When You Lose a Tooth
Bone loss is common for your jaw bone in the absence of a tooth. Teeth and your jaw have a mutually beneficial relationship. The jaw bone provides a place to secure your tooth, and the root of the tooth stimulates bone stability. When the root of the tooth is missing, then the bone that once held it in place begins to deteriorate. Since the bone is no longer needed, it dissolves.
How Dental Implants Solve the Problem
During a dental implant procedure, a titanium post is embedded into the jawbone itself. This means that it essentially replaces the root of the tooth that used to be there. The titanium post stimulates the bone in a way that a dental bridge or partial denture never could. The bone around the implant will begin to strengthen. The dental implant will also keep the surrounding teeth from shifting, meaning that a dental implant essentially solves every physical problem presented by a lost tooth.
Once the dental implant fuses to your jaw bone, it becomes part of your body. Your dental implant can last a lifetime. A crown or replacement tooth is attached to the titanium post. This crown may degrade over time and requires maintenance. However, the implant itself requires very little maintenance. If anything goes wrong, the post can be replaced.
If you grind your teeth at night, it’s important to wear a night guard. Grinding your teeth can cause the implant to take too much force and can be dangerous. If you want more information on dental implants, give us a call or stop by our office today!