When you lose a tooth, it damages more than just your smile. Missing teeth force you to alter your lifestyle to accommodate the change in your mouth. Your dentist knows that a healthy mouth depends on a full set of teeth — not just for chewing, but for maintaining healthy gums and strengthening your jawbone. If you want to avoid further tooth loss, we recommend scheduling an appointment with your dental implant dentist. Continue reading to learn how dental implants prevent bone and tooth loss.
What are dental implants?
A dental implant is a dental prosthesis designed to function like a natural tooth root. During , your dentist will place the prosthesis into your jawbone. It’s important to understand that the tooth implant process takes several months so the artificial tooth root has time to fuse successfully with your jawbone. Once osseointegration is complete, you’ll come back to the dental office to have the abutment and crown placed over top.
Advances in restorative dentistry mean you have more tooth replacement options that ever before. For example, our dentist offers digital implant surgery, which is less invasive and painful. We also offer mini dental implants which can be placed in one appointment. While full-sized implants need several months of healing, mini implants can support dentures right away. never slip or fall out, which makes them feel comfortable and look natural.
As soon as you replace a missing tooth, you improve your overall oral health. The space left by a missing tooth negatively affects your nutrition, surrounding teeth, and jawbone. Replacing missing teeth with dental implants protects your oral health and helps you smile with confidence.
Supports Teeth
Each tooth in your mouth provides support for the teeth around it. However, this means that when you lose a tooth, you also lose support for surrounding teeth. As soon as teeth feel an opening near them, they loosen up, shift, and tilt inwards to fill the space. This often leads to tooth decay and even further tooth loss.
The tooth implant procedure stops the rest of your teeth from shifting, preventing further tooth loss. This is especially important if you’ve ever had braces or Invisalign to straighten your teeth. Otherwise, all of that work can be undone in a matter of months. Schedule an appointment with your dental implant dentist today to discuss your options for keeping your smile intact.
Stimulates Jawbone Tissue
When your jawbone feels the absence of a tooth, it responds by deteriorating. The pressure our jaws receive from tooth roots stimulates bone cells. Without that pressure, the gap left by missing teeth continues to deteriorate until something replaces it. Once your jaw loses bone, it becomes more difficult to replace missing teeth. In some cases, jawbone loss leads to jaw shrinkage and facial collapse.
Whether you need just one or all of your teeth replaced, dental implants provide a solution for your mouth that will last a lifetime. With dental implants, you can eat the foods you love without worrying about pain and discomfort. Moreover, dental implants prevent your natural teeth from shifting and your jawbone from deteriorating.
Schedule Your Appointment
Dr. Yun DDS and his team are dedicated to helping you restore your smile after tooth loss with dental implants and other restorative dentistry services. To schedule an appointment with our Grand Rapids dental implant dentist, email NorthPointe Family Dental at northpointefamilydental@gmail.com.