When you lose something, it’s natural to want it back. When that something is as important as a permanent tooth, then wanting it back is more than natural; it’s necessary. With dental implants, patients who’ve lost teeth finally have a strong, highly-lifelike option for replacing them, complete with prosthetics to replace their lost teeth roots. By closely mimicking your natural teeth, dental implants offer a number of long-term benefits, such as providing a way to truly rebuild and preserve your smile following tooth loss.
1. You won’t need the support of your healthy teeth.
Until dental implants, a dental bridge was often the most effective way to replace a lost tooth. A bridge consists of one or several replacement teeth and a pair of crowns on either side. The crowns are bonded to the teeth that remain next to your lost teeth, allowing the replacement teeth (or pontics) to bridge the gap in your smile. By contrast, a dental implant can serve as an anchor much like the way a root anchors a tooth, so your dental prosthesis won’t need the support of nearby healthy teeth.
2. Implants can stop your dentures from slipping.
Patients who’ve lost a significant amount of teeth, or all of their teeth, on one or both dental ridges can often rebuild their smiles with a partial or full denture. However, patients with full dentures will often need their appliances readjusted as they lose their grip over time and become loose. With the support of dental implants, a denture won’t grow loose and slip around on your dental ridge, but will rather be secured in place by anchors that are implanted into your jawbone.
3. Dental implants can reduce your risk of future tooth loss.
Another vital function of implants is reestablishing the stimulation of your roots every time you bite and chew your food. This stimulation keeps your jawbone strong and properly supplied with nutrients, but after losing one or more teeth roots, the stimulation is reduced, as is the nutrient supply to your jawbone. Dental implants help replenish your jaw’s nutrient supply by replacing the roots and providing the stimulation your jawbone needs. As a result, the implants can help prevent jawbone deterioration, which can lead to further tooth loss as your jawbone grows increasingly weaker.